


Under Investigation

by AnnaRaven



Series: Chicago PD AU [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Gay Relationship, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-09-20 05:55:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 32,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9478517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaRaven/pseuds/AnnaRaven
Summary: Detective Kaidan Alenko is an exemplary officer, the youngest ever commended by the Chicago PD. But when he reports two fellow cops and an innocent woman turns up dead, Kaidan finds himself in the frame for murder and corruption. It’s up to Detective John Shepard to figure out what really happened, but the path to the truth does not run smoothly…





	1. Suspicions

Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko dropped the completed case file into his out tray and stood, pulling on his suit jacket. He ran a hand across his thick dark hair, checking it was smoothed down, and clipped his pager onto his belt.

At the desk opposite, his friend and colleague Lieutenant Jeff Moreau glanced up from his keyboard. “Heading out to lunch?”

“Yeah, I’ll be back by two,” Kaidan said.

“Cool. Enjoy your date.”

“I keep telling you, Joker, I don’t have a date,” Kaidan said, exasperated at the smirk on Joker’s face. “I just felt like wearing a suit today, that’s all.”

“Uh-huh,” Joker said flatly. “And I guess the way you’ve been checking the clock every six-and-a-half seconds for the last two hours is coincidental.”

“I have to go,” Kaidan said, refusing to take the bait.

The Chicago Bureau of Detectives worked out of an open-plan office, bustling with cops and perps, soundtracked by ringing phones and raised voices. Kaidan loved the energy of the place, the ever-changing environment - no two days were ever the same.

As he walked towards the main doors to leave the office, two detectives walked in. The taller of the two, a heavyset guy with scars criss-crossing his left cheek, gave Kaidan a dismissive look that made his blood boil.

Feeling contrary, Kaidan walked straight up to him. “Hey, Saren. Any breaks on that robbery case?”

Saren snorted. “What’s the matter, Boy Scout, solved all your own cases already?”

Kaidan shrugged. “Just thought I could help, maybe tap up one of my snitches.”

“Thanks, but I don’t really need _your_ help.” Saren’s smile was insincere, his eyes cold.

The other cop grinned; he was lean and good-looking but the arrogance rolled off him almost palpably. “Nice tie, Alenko. Got a date?”

“No, Vyrnnus, some of us just like to look good, is all,” Kaidan replied evenly.

“Yeah, I’d heard that about your kind,” Vyrnnus sneered.

Kaidan’s mouth fell open as anger coursed through him suddenly, shockingly. It was like fire in his veins, churning his stomach and burning his chest.

Saren glanced around at the room at the eyes turning their way. He hastily said to Vyrnnus, “Come on, man, we’ve got plenty of work to be doing,” and almost bodily hauled him away before the situation could develop.

Kaidan watched them go, furious. One day soon, Vyrnnus was going to regret that.

* * *

 

The diner was busy, bustling with people in suits from the law office buildings that lined the block. It was a popular spot, old-fashioned and kitschy but with a trendy edge that attracted the lawyers and the paralegals in their dozens.

Seated opposite the entrance, Kaidan finished his black coffee and glanced at the clock for at least the tenth time since he’d been sitting there. He felt edgy, nervous, and fleetingly wondered if coffee had been the best choice. He almost got up and left, but told himself one more time that he was doing the right thing.

The door opened on a blast of autumnal air and a woman in a camel-coloured overcoat walked in, slim and neat with her dark hair pulled back into a severe bun. Kaidan sat up straighter as she looked around; their eyes met and she walked over.

“Kaidan Alenko?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said, standing.

“Agent Ashley Williams, Internal Affairs,” she said, and they shook hands.

“Thanks for coming,” Kaidan said, and sat again.

Agent Williams sat opposite him, slipping her arms out of her coat and accepting a cup of coffee from the waitress who approached. Then she took out a notepad and fixed Kaidan with a steady look. “So you’re with the North Area of the Bureau. David Anderson’s the new commander, right?”

“Yeah. He’s doing a good job so far,” Kaidan nodded.

“That’s what I heard,” Williams said. “So what am I doing here, Lieutenant Alenko?”

Kaidan glanced around, shifted on his seat. “First I want to say that this isn’t easy for me, and I don’t like to speak against my division or the Bureau – most of the officers are dedicated, hardworking people but…there are two detectives that I have concerns about. I think they might be dirty.”

Without comment or reaction, Williams started taking notes. “What makes you think that?” she asked, sipping her coffee.

“There’s a snitch I’ve been running for the past couple of years who put me onto them, a kid named Mouse. He’s a small time dealer and housebreaker, but he has a way of worming out information.”

“I see. What did he give you?”

“The name of a fence. He wouldn’t roll over when I busted him, but all the hot gear he had in storage was from robberies those same two detectives had investigated.”

Williams frowned. “That’s really not enough to go on, Lieutenant. Do you have anything more?”

Kaidan nodded. “Last Friday I overheard them talking about a burglary at a house on Eden Street. When I checked the reports yesterday, the date of the robbery was Saturday.”

“That does sound suspicious,” Williams agreed, noting it down. “Anything else?”

“I guess you could say they’ve been throwing their money around lately…one of them just bought a new car, the other is bragging about a big vacation he’s taking his wife on.”

“Okay. You got names for me?”

“Jim Saren and Mike Vyrnnus.” When she frowned, Kaidan asked, “D’you know them?”

Williams nodded. “Both of them, a little. I was in the Narcotics Division with Mike Vyrnnus for six months and honestly, I always thought he was a sleazeball. Is that all you have?”

“Yeah,” Kaidan nodded.

Williams smiled, warm but controlled as she put some money down for her coffee. “You did the right thing in calling IA, Lieutenant. I know there’s an unspoken decree about cops not ratting out other cops, but it’s in all our best interests to weed out the dirty ones so the rest of us can keep doing our jobs well.”

“I know, thanks,” Kaidan said, standing when she did. They shook hands again, and then she was gone as though she’d never been there at all.

Kaidan sat back down, feeling too heavy somehow. He agreed with what Williams had said, and he hated dirty cops as much as the criminals he’d devoted his life to catching, but it still sat uncomfortably with him to have turned in his colleagues.

Still, it would be worth the discomfort now if his suspicions proved right.


	2. Framed

Kaidan glanced up from his computer screen as a junior detective dumped a pile of case files on his desk. “What the hell is this?” he asked.

“Commander’s orders,” she shrugged, stacking a similar pile on Joker’s desk. “Every detective is being assigned a number of cold cases to work, to show the public we take crime seriously no matter how long ago it happened.”

“No kidding – some of these were written on a typewriter,” Kaidan said, rifling through the pile.

“I don’t want these,” Joker protested, “I already have enough current files to sink a battleship.”

“Take it up with Anderson,” said the junior detective chirpily, walking away.

“Just when I’d almost started liking you, Chambers,” Joker called after her. He turned a sour look on Kaidan and said, “I hope the commander doesn’t think I’m working late tonight. Edie will kill me if I miss dinner again.”

“I sure wouldn’t want to mess with her,” Kaidan nodded, chuckling.

“Damn right you wouldn’t. Last time I was late home, she made me sleep on the couch – with my back problems, too. No heart,” he mock-grumbled, shaking his head.

“Um, wasn’t it your anniversary dinner that you missed?” Kaidan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Whose side are you on?” Joker grumped, turning back to his work. “Keep that up and I’ll un-invite you for dinner Friday night.”

“I’ll come anyway,” Kaidan shrugged. “Edie’ll let me in.”

“Yeah, she totally would,” Joker sighed.

Kaidan’s phone rang and he answered on the second ring. “Lieutenant Alenko.”

“Oh, yes, this is Agent Williams.” She sounded flustered, her voice echoing a little down the fuzzy line.

“Hi, thanks for getting back to me,” Kaidan said. It had been over a week since their meeting and he’d been wondering when he’d hear from her.

“Can you meet me?” she asked, without preamble. “Now, I mean?”

“Uh, yeah,” Kaidan said, glancing at his watch. “My shift is ending soon anyway.”

“Okay, good - come to apartment 212, Normandy House.” And then she hung up.

Kaidan frowned at the receiver before replacing it in the cradle. He stood and pulled on his blue sports coat, saying, “Joker, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See ya,” Joker said, not even glancing his way.

Kaidan drove over to Normandy House in the gathering darkness, his unease building the whole time. Agent Williams had sounded hurried, edgy, so unlike the calm demeanour she’d shown at the diner. He couldn’t shake the idea that something was wrong; maybe Saren or Vyrnnus had threatened her, or she’d found that the corruption went higher than he’d realised.

Normandy House was a rundown apartment building in an area he knew well; many of the people who lived around here were involved with gangs, and unemployment figures and drug arrest statistics were disproportionately high. Coming down here always made him feel conflicted; it was hard to come face to face with the poverty and suffering of people at the bottom of the heap, to see the powerful crime gangs running rampant and feel powerless to end it. But at the same time it helped remind him why he’d wanted to be a cop in the first place – to stop those who needed to be stopped, and make some small difference in the lives of the innocents caught up in it all.

He parked down the block from the apartment building and walked briskly to the front door; several familiar faces gave him nervous or hostile looks as he walked by. He highly doubted that Agent Williams would live somewhere like this, which only underscored his unease. He crossed the litter-strewn lobby and took the elevator to the first floor, passing an elderly man on his way into apartment 207. At the door to 212 he raised his hand to knock, then realised that the door was ever so slightly ajar.

The unease in his belly began to coil and twist, anticipation prickling along his limbs. Glancing back to make sure the old man was safely inside, Kaidan pulled his gun and pushed the door open.

“Agent Williams?” he called, following the narrow hallway along to the lounge, gun trained ahead of him.

He heard the barest whisper of footsteps behind him, then there was a crashing pain in the back of his skull and everything went black.

* * *

Kaidan opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the pain radiating out from the back of his skull. He wondered what the hell he’d been drinking the night before, then realised he wasn’t lying in bed but on the floor looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling. He touched his fingertips to the back of his head, skirting gently over the old scar tissue there, and they came away red.

He sat up cautiously, the pain thumping harder inside his cranium, and looked around. He was utterly disoriented; the shabby furniture, the threadbare carpet – none of it was familiar. Then it all came swimming back in a nauseating rush - the call from Williams, the footsteps behind him. He instinctively checked for his gun, which was holstered although he recalled drawing it.

“Agent Williams?” he called, but only silence answered until a harsh knocking echoed through the apartment.

“Police!” called a muffled voice. “Open up!”

Kaidan slowly made his way to the front door and opened it to find two uniforms pointing guns at him.

“Easy, guys, I’m on the job,” he began, empty hands raised, but the taller of the two pushed him face-first against the wall and began searching him.

Kaidan scowled as the jarring intensified his headache. “I’m with the Bureau of Detectives, my ID’s in my back pocket,” he said. He felt fingers drawing his ID out and then the weight against his back eased up. He turned to see the taller cop checking his badge while the other went further into the apartment.

“What’s going on?” Kaidan asked, taking back his ID and putting it away.

“We had a report of gunshots at this address,” the sergeant said.

“Really? I was out cold,” Kaidan said. “Didn’t hear a thing.” His mind began racing; were the gunshots anything to do with Williams, and if so who was the shooter?

The second uniform appeared in the doorway. “There’s a body in the bathroom. Looks like she’s been shot.”

Kaidan’s stomach went cold as both cops turned accusing looks on him. He opened his mouth to begin explaining when he heard a voice say, “That’s him!” The elderly gentleman from 207 was standing in the hallway pointing at him, full of righteous outrage. “That’s the man I saw go in there right before the shooting started!”

The sergeant stepped forward and put a hand on Kaidan’s shoulder. “Detective Alenko, I’m placing you under arrest on suspicion of murder.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time - Kaidan sees red and Liara drinks wine. Though not at the same time.


	3. Suspended

Kaidan stared at the wall, counting the cracks and stains again just for something to do. Then he re-read the graffiti; Stan had been here, and so had Daggers, and apparently Sid’s mom gave one hell of a blowjob, call this number to find out for yourself. He closed his eyes and shifted on the hard bench, the sleep mat on top of it just thin enough to let the cold through. One of the fluorescent strip lights in his cell was flickering, which had been aggravating an hour ago but now was just another background irritation. His head was throbbing, dull and persistent, shooting the occasional spike of pain behind his eye sockets from the jagged wound at the back of his skull.

Annoying as it all was, it was doing a decent job at distracting him from thinking too much about Agent Williams. _Ashley_ , he reminded himself. His thoughts were cycling constantly; if he’d gotten there sooner, if he’d been more alert, if he’d only caught a glimpse of his assailant…and then, inevitably, _if I’d kept my mouth shut in the first place, none of this would have happened_. He pushed the heels of his hands against his eyes, a counterpoint to the pain of his headache and his guilt. It felt good so he pushed harder, relishing the ache in his eye sockets.

When he heard keys in the door, Kaidan stood and braced himself. The burly, grouchy booking in sergeant stood in the doorway, his impressive belly straining his blue shirt. “You’re free to go, Alenko,” he said, “Anderson wants to see you.”

“Thanks for your hospitality, Sergeant Cane,” Kaidan said coldly, staring the man down as he walked by. “I especially enjoyed the part where you denied treatment to a suspect with an existing medical condition; the chief will be hearing about that in detail.”

The sergeant said nothing, but there was something nervous in the way he licked his fleshy lips. Kaidan had never dealt with him before, though he’d seen him around, and it made him angry to know that a man with so little regard for his fellow human brings was walking around in the uniform.

Kaidan took the elevator up to the third floor, pausing for a moment outside the detectives’ bullpen; he took a deep, steadying breath before walking in.

It was almost eight o’clock so the office was pretty quiet, but clearly word had got around about his arrest and a hush fell as he walked in. Most of the detectives who were still there gave him reassuring nods, but he noticed with a sinking heart that Saren and Vyrnnus were standing right in his path to Commander Anderson’s office. He had a gut feeling they were involved somehow in Williams’s murder and they were absolutely the last people he wanted to run into.

He skirted around them, ignoring the nasty smirk that Vyrnnus sent his way. He’d almost made it when Saren called after him, “Good luck in there, Alenko. We all know you’re innocent.”

“Yeah, good luck, _queer_ ,” Vyrnnus said, grinning that arrogant grin, and Kaidan saw red. He stormed over and grabbed the detective by the lapels, slamming him against the wall.

“You really think you’re going to get away with this, Vyrnnus?” Kaidan spat; he couldn’t recall ever being angrier. Vyrnnus looked shaken, though he covered it pretty well, and Kaidan felt a piercing triumph despite himself.

Commander Anderson appeared in his office doorway. “Alenko! In here, now!”

His tone left no room for debate or hesitation, and Kaidan let Vyrnnus go. He turned away, ignoring how the silence dissolved into the buzz of gossip, and shut the commander’s door behind him.

Anderson was standing in front of his desk, tall and imposing. “Let me start by being clear: I don’t think there’s a chance in hell you killed Agent Williams,” he said, and Kaidan’s spirits lifted just a little. “I know I’m pretty new around here but your record, your conduct and my cop’s gut tell me you’re a good detective who can be trusted. But blowing your lid like you just did out there won’t help you any.”

“Yes, sir, I know. I just…I lost my cool, I guess.”

Anderson sighed. “Understandably. I heard what Vyrnnus said, and believe I’ll be dragging his ass in here to talk about it. But much as I hate having homophobic assholes in my division, sadly I can’t suspend him for being an idiot.”

“No, sir,” Kaidan said neutrally.

“I hate to have to say this, but you’re hereby suspended until we can get this mess cleared up,” Anderson said gravely. He stood aside a little and indicated a document on his desk. “I’m going to release you on your own recognisance, but you need you to go down to the armoury and hand in your gun and badge until this all gets squared away.”

“Yes, sir,” Kaidan said, his heart leaden in his chest as he signed the recognisance document, a written promise that he’d show up for court appearances and keep out of trouble.

“For what it’s worth, I hate this as much as you do, Alenko,” Anderson said.

“I doubt that, sir,” Kaidan said, “but thank you.”

Anderson took a seat at his desk. “One more thing; your case has been turned over to a guy from the South Area, Lieutenant John Shepard. You’re meeting him here tomorrow at noon.”

“Alright. Do you know him?”

Anderson shook his head. “Only by reputation. From what I hear he’s kind of a hard-ass, but fair, gets the job done. If you’re innocent, and I believe that you are, you’ve got nothing to worry about. And if you need help, with anything at any time, you know where to find me.”

“Yes, sir. I appreciate that.”

“How’s the head?” Anderson asked, his tone just a shade softer.

“Been better,” Kaidan said, reflexively touching the wound. “But I don’t think there’s any permanent damage.”

“You don’t think?” Anderson repeated, frowning. “You haven’t had it checked out yet?”

“No, sir,” Kaidan said, his voice hardening. “The arresting officer put me into holding without first allowing medical treatment, and the holding officer denied my requests for a doctor. I intend to file a report about it; this can’t be the way we treat suspects, whether we believe them to be guilty or not.”

“Damn straight,” Anderson said firmly. “In that case, get the hell out of here and go to the hospital. I’ll have a uniform drive you there.”

“Sir, I really - ”

“Alenko, you took a blow to the head a little over two hours ago and may have a concussion. You really think I’m letting you drive anywhere?”

“No, sir,” Kaidan said, with a rueful smile. “In that case, could you maybe have a patrol pick up my car, too? It’s parked downtown, on Virmire Avenue. I don’t like its chances of making it through to the morning unvandalised.”

“If it’s still there at all,” Anderson added. “Leave me your keys, I’ll see to it.”

“Thank you, sir, I appreciate it,” Kaidan said, dropping the keychain onto the desk.

Kaidan stood and waited while Anderson made a phone call to arrange a lift to the hospital. He stared hard at a framed print on the wall, trying to ignore the well of frustration and fury and despair that was opening up inside his chest. It felt like his whole career, his whole life, was crumbling around him; everything he’d worked for, sacrificed for, put at risk because of a couple of dirty cops. He was angry, sickened, and determined to prove his innocence whatever it took.

* * *

The doctor turned away from the X-rays pinned up to the lightbox; she was blond and pretty, with a curvy figure and easy manner, and her smile lit up her blue eyes. “You’re lucky nothing was fractured,” she said to Kaidan, “but I’ll prescribe you something for the pain.”

“Thanks, Liara,” Kaidan said, rubbing the band of tension across his forehead. “I think I’ll need it.”

Liara tucked her hands into the deep pockets of her white coat. “So Anderson released you without bail?”

“Yeah. I’ve been on the force for a long time, never had a mark on my record until now. He knows I’m not going anywhere.”

“Do you think he believes you were set up?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” Kaidan nodded wearily. “Good thing, too - I need somebody on my side right now.”

“Kaidan,” Liara said, her tone chiding. “You know you’ve always got at least one.”

Kaidan smiled, nodded. “Thanks. I know. It looks bad, though. I mean, it was my gun that killed Agent Williams, and the missing cash from the evidence room turned up in my locker.”

“Then the culprit must surely be one of the detectives you suspected,” Liara said. “Either one of them could have reached your locker without raising suspicion.”

“Or both of them,” Kaidan noted. “So, do I have a clean bill of health?”

“Yes, you were fortunate this time,” Liara said, her kind face crinkled in those familiar worry lines. “Don’t be surprised if you experience a flare up later, though. Do you have plenty of Excedrin at home?”

“No issue there, I’m always stocked up,” Kaidan said, getting gingerly down from the bed.

“Kaidan,” Liara began, a touch hesitantly, “why don’t you stay at my house for a few days?”

“What? Why?” Kaidan frowned.

“In case there are any complications,” Liara said. “I’d hate for you to be on your own if a severe migraine hits, or a late-presenting concussion. Besides which, this story’s already got out to the press so there’s a good chance they’ll be staking your place out – you don’t need that stress on top of everything else.”

Kaidan thought for a minute; she probably had a point about the press, and if he was honest with himself it would be good not to go home to an empty house every night, if only for a little while. “Well, I guess…if you’re sure?”

“Absolutely, my spare room is all yours,” Liara nodded. “My shift here ended about an hour ago, so I’ll go by your place and pack you a bag on my way home. Come get settled in whenever you’re ready.”

“You stayed late to take a look at _my_ thick head?” Kaidan smiled, touched. “In that case I’ll bring dinner home with me.”

Liara smiled. “See? You’re already my perfect house guest.”

* * *

Almost two hours later, Liara looked up from a medical journal as Kaidan walked through the back door into her kitchen. “Finally – I almost thought you’d forgotten my address,” she said with a smile. “Good thing I’m used to eating late at night.”

“Sorry. I got side-tracked.” Kaidan put down the Chinese takeout bag on the island beside her, snagging her glass to finish her wine. Liara gave him A Look as she went to the cupboard for bowls and an extra glass, grabbing the wine bottle and pouring for them both.

As they unpacked the takeout bag and began spooning food into their bowls, Liara asked, “What took you so long?”

Kaidan licked kung po sauce off his thumb, perched on a stool beside the island and sighed. “Don’t shout at me, but…I stopped by the apartment on the way here.”

Liara’s eyes went wide. “And by ‘the apartment’ I guess you mean _the murder scene_?” She sat heavily on the stool beside him, shaking her head. “Kaidan, how could you be so reckless? Do you know how much trouble you’d be in if anyone found out?”

“Hey, look, the crime scene is available to the defence, which I think includes me,” Kaidan protested. “Besides, you expected me to do what – sit at home learning to crochet?”

“That would do wonders for your manual dexterity,” Liara said loftily, then sighed. “Alright, I give up. What did you find?”

“Not as much as I’d hoped,” Kaidan said, digging his chopsticks into the fragrant heap of noodles in his dish. “A gold bracelet in the bathroom with a snapped link, which could belong to anyone and may have been there for months, and a scrap of paper under the sofa with a number for someone named Finch.”

“Eddie Finch?” Liara asked, her voice strained.

“Yeah, that was it,” Kaidan frowned. “Do you know him?”

“No, but I know he works for Aria T’Loake,” she said, taking a gulp of wine.

Kaidan raised his eyebrows. “She’s a pretty big league player in the underworld around here. I’m surprised you’ve heard of her.”

Liara shifted awkwardly on her stool. “We’re…sort of related. Distantly. She’s bad news, Kaidan.”

“Well, I handed everything over to Joker, he’s going to go over the scene again tomorrow and pretend he found it,” Kaidan said around a mouthful of noodles. “We’ll see what he turns up after that.”

“Good idea.” Liara nodded. “So, if the case is in good hands and there’s nothing more you can do, then for the rest of tonight I don’t want to hear another word about it – got that?”

“Sounds great,” Kaidan sighed, then frowned. “Wait, did you take all the moo shu pork?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kaidan finally meets Shepard, and they do not get along...


	4. Interrogation

Lieutenant John Shepard shuffled through the papers on the table in front of him, looking over the information one last time before Detective Alenko arrived. He’d been over everything several times already, could almost recite the witness reports verbatim, but he liked to be prepared.

He glanced again at Alenko’s personal file, released to him as part of the investigation despite being a confidential record. His eyes skipped over the details – the commendations, the promotions, the impressively high case closure rate – but lingered on the photograph clipped to the top right corner. Brown eyes looked back at him from the glossy image, unfathomable and engaging. Dark hair swept up into a fashionable quiff and the handsome face beneath it was unsmiling, but not harsh. It was a face that intrigued him, maybe even excited him, but he buried the feeling under a layer of professionalism.

There was a knock at the door to the interview room; Shepard glanced over as it opened and Alenko walked in. He was taller than Shepard was expecting, broad-shouldered and athletic, definitely the kind of guy he’d approach in a club or at the gym. He was wearing a well-cut suit and tie, and smiled as he held out his hand.

“Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, good to meet you,” he said.

Shepard returned the handshake and sat at the table, gesturing for Alenko to take a seat. He watched the suspect surreptitiously; Alenko sat calmly, hands folded on the table with nothing nervous or anxious in his air at all. But Shepard had seen many, many bad guys who kept cool under interrogation, who looked like boy scouts on the outside, so he didn’t put too much stock in outward appearances. He hated dirty cops, and until Alenko proved otherwise Shepard had to assume that’s exactly what he was.

Shepard began going through the files again, letting the silence stretch to make the other man uncomfortable. Finally he folded his hands on the table, looked up and said, “I’ve read through your report and I have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

“Of course,” Alenko nodded.

“You say you received a phone call from Agent Williams asking her to meet you at the address where she was later found dead, is that correct?”

“Yes. When I arrived, nobody was there – or at least, that’s what I thought, right up until someone hit me. That’s all I remember.”

“And you have no idea who that was or what they were doing there?”

“None.”

Shepard nodded, changing tack. “Were you aware that Agent Williams didn’t live in Normandy House?”

Alenko frowned; it seemed genuine. “No, although I didn’t think it seemed like a place she would live.”

“You’re familiar with that address?”

“Not specifically, but I’ve made a number of arrests in the neighbourhood before.”

“Do you know why Agent Williams was there?”

“I presumed she was investigating a lead,” Kaidan said.

“Right, on the case you handed to her.” Shepard shuffled the papers, drawing out a neatly-typed report and scanning over it; in truth, Williams had barely begun her investigation so there was very little there to go on. “According to her notes, you recently reported two of your colleagues on suspicion of corruption. Care to tell me any more about that?”

Alenko’s brows drew down; he looked brooding, kinda sexy, but Shepard shut that thought down fast. “I’m sure her notes are detailed, she seemed the fastidious type,” Alenko said. “I really don’t know any more than I told her.”

“Do you think one or both of them may have been involved with your injury and her murder?” Shepard asked.

“It seems likely to me,” Kaidan said. “They must have found out that Agent Williams was investigating them, so killing her and framing me could get them off the hook.”

“Seems like a lot of trouble to go to,” Shepard said, slouching back in his seat as though he didn’t have a care in the world. “From what I can see, Agent Williams didn’t have much on them – surely it would have made more sense for them to wait and see what she found in case she didn’t turn up anything conclusive.”

“Maybe it would, but I don’t know what they were thinking, do I?” Kaidan said, an edge to his tone now.

Shepard smiled; he liked it when he started to get under a suspect’s skin. People under pressure made mistakes. “Her colleagues tell me she left the office early on the day she was murdered, didn’t say a word to anyone about where she was going or why.”

“So?”

“So I only have your word for it that she ever called you at all.”

“Check the phone logs,” Alenko said, sitting forward and talking with his hands. “You’ll see the call to my desk phone.”

“I already did,” Shepard said, sliding a printout across the table so Alenko could check it. “I highlighted an incoming call at 5.12pm from an unregistered number – is that the time you say Agent Williams called you?”

“Yes, that’ll be it,” Alenko nodded.

“The cell phone that made that call was bought that morning - the cashier only remembers that the buyer was a dark-haired man in a suit who paid in cash and seemed to be in a hurry,” Shepard said. “The phone was later recovered from a storm drain further down the block from Normandy House, wiped clean of prints and missing its SIM card. There’s no way to prove it was bought for Agent Williams, or that she ever even touched it.”

“What exactly are you insinuating?” Alenko asked, his deep voice turning harsh as his amber eyes went cold.

“How do I know that you didn’t buy the phone yourself and have an accomplice call you to set up your ‘head injury’ story?” Shepard asked.

“You think this is fake?” Alenko asked, anger beginning to break through as he touched the bandage taped to the back of his head.

“I believe _someone_ hit you,” Shepard said, still lounging in his chair to keep the lieutenant on edge. “I just don’t know who or why.”

“Well, then I guess you’d better do your job and find out,” Alenko said harshly, standing. “Are we done here?”

“For now,” Shepard said, a little pissed off and a little turned on. “I’ll call you if I need to talk to you again.”

He watched Alenko leave, noted the tension in his shoulders and the way he only barely managed to avoid slamming the door. He also noted, though he wouldn’t admit it, that the lieutenant had a very nice ass.

Shepard gathered together his papers, letting his mind sort the information he’d just gathered, composting it all together to see what would grow out of it. It was more than the words spoken; tone of voice and body language gave away more than most people ever realised. Shepard had been a detective for a long time, and was a natural born cynic besides; he was good at reading people, sniffing out secrets and motives. His gut was telling him that Alenko was as innocent as he claimed, but he held himself back from believing it. Until the evidence proved otherwise, Kaidan Alenko was still his number one suspect.

* * *

“Kaidan! Wonderful to see you!” Edie said, grinning widely and stepping out onto the cold doorstep to hug him before nudging him into the house ahead of her.

Kaidan smiled at the warmth and sincerity of her greeting, handing over the bouquet and bottle of wine he’d brought. “These are for you.”

“Oh, Kaidan – you’re the sweetest,” Edie said, kissing his cheek, as though he didn’t bring gifts every time he came over. “How was your day?”

"A little rough,” Kaidan said, understating wildly. “An evening with good friends is exactly what I need, to be honest.”

“Happy we can help,” Edie beamed, and led him into the living room where Joker was hovering. His friend smiled, but there was something awkward in it and he looked away quickly.

“Edie,” Kaidan said to her as she took his coat, “what’s up with Joker?”

“The usual – social anxiety mixed with general apathy and a dash or two of sociopathic tendencies. Why?”

“Yeah, that’s all a given – what’s with the added shiftiness?”

“You do both realise that I’m standing _right here_ , right?” Joker said grouchily.

The doorbell rang. Edie’s grin widened; Joker’s scowl deepened.

“Joker,” Kaidan said, a warning note in his voice now, “tell me what’s going on.”

“Um, turns out Garrus couldn’t make it tonight so Edie invited someone else,” Joker said. “Hey, you don’t have a drink yet – you’ll definitely need a drink.”

“Why? What does that mean?” Kaidan called after his friend’s retreating back.

Edie appeared in the living room doorway, almost bouncing with excitement. “Kaidan, I’d like you to meet someone.”

Kaidan only just held in a groan as he realised that Edie was trying to set him up yet again. Then a lean, attractive guy with striking blue eyes followed her in, and his protest died in his mouth.

“Kaidan, this is Steve,” Edie said, watching like a hawk as the two shook hands. “He works with me at the depot. Steve, Kaidan is a police detective who works with Jeff.”

“Good to meet you,” Steve said, smiling warmly. “Edie’s told me a lot about you. And I mean a _lot_.”

Kaidan chuckled. “I wish I could say the same.”

“Oh, they sprung this on you, huh?” Steve asked, accepting the glass of wine that Joker handed to him. “Well, I promise not to make it too painful.”

“Kaidan, could you please help me with a routine task in the kitchen?” Edie asked, too innocently.

Kaidan smiled; she was terrible at being subtle. “Sure. Excuse me, Steve.”

As soon as he entered the kitchen Edie pushed the door shut behind him and almost pounced. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Kaidan, please don’t be difficult,” Edie said, crossing her arms. “Jeff has already filled my quota for this month.”

“I mean it,” Kaidan protested, “what are you expecting me to say? I’ve literally _just_ met the guy.”

“But is there a spark?” Edie asked. “The moment I met Jeff, I knew there was a spark.”

“I don’t know if everyone gets that, Edie,” Kaidan smiled. “I’ve never had a spark with anyone before – not straight away at least.” _Unless you count Lieutenant Shepard, which I’m definitely not._

“Well…are you at least attracted to him?”

Kaidan laughed. “While I love your frankness, I don’t really feel very comfortable talking about this. If I start overanalysing it, I’ll jinx it before it even has a chance.”

“Jinxing isn’t a real thing, Kaidan,” Edie said reproachfully. “But I understand what you mean.”

“Thank you,” Kaidan said. “Now, did you actually need help with something or was it all a cunning ruse?”

“Approximately 80 % ruse,” Edie said. “But how are you at chopping carrots?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Shepard meets Saren and Vyrnnus, and two significant people from Kaidan's past...


	5. History

Shepard began his investigation by tracking down Jim Saren at the police firing range. He hadn’t found anything in Agent Williams’s notes to suggest she’d spoken to Saren or Vyrnnus, so as far as he knew they had no idea about her investigation. Shepard watched Saren practise for a few minutes before approaching him; the detective was good, every shot placed in centre mass or the middle of the target silhouette’s head. Shepard made a mental note of the accuracy as he walked across to the detective, who’d begun stripping down his gun.

“Detective James Saren?”

Saren glanced up and gave what was probably meant to be a sincere smile. “That’s me. You’re the one investigating Alenko?”

“Detective John Shepard,” he confirmed. “And I’m looking into who killed Agent Williams. Lieutenant Alenko is only one part of that investigation.”

“It’s too bad,” Saren said, shaking his head. “Once upon a time I thought he was a pretty good cop.”

Shepard’s eyes narrowed. “You think he’s guilty?”

“That’s what the evidence says, isn’t it?” Saren shrugged. “And a good detective follows the evidence.”

“Maybe a great one knows the evidence doesn’t always lead you the right way.”

Saren really looked at him then, dropping the amiable façade. “You saying he was framed?”

“What do you think?” Shepard deflected, looking for a reaction.

Saren spread his hands wide, feigning disbelief. “Why the hell would anyone want to do that?”

Something about Saren’s manner was setting off alarm bells in the back of Shepard’s head, but he didn’t show it. “What’s your impression of Lieutenant Alenko?” he asked.

“I don’t have any feelings about the guy either way. Clean record, from what I hear. Lot of sick days, though. Some might wonder if he’s as committed to the job as the rest of us,” Saren said slyly.

“That sounds like an accusation.”

“No. Just an observation.”

“How well do you know the lieutenant?” Shepard asked.

“Not very well – none of us do, really. He doesn’t have many friends on the force, never comes out for beers with the guys.”

“I see. Not many friends – how about enemies?”

Saren grinned, and it suddenly reminded Shepard of an alligator. “Lot of the guys here don’t care for him much. Some of that’s because he’s so buttoned up, no sense of fun, always saluting the higher ups. Some of it’s just good old-fashioned prejudice.”

“Prejudice?”

“Because he’s into guys,” Saren said, something disapproving in his tone.

Shepard blinked, the only outward sign of his surprise. “His file mentioned a divorce about a year ago.”

“Yeah, she probably left him because he was banging some dude on the side,” Saren said, not bothering to hide his sneer this time.

Shepard clamped down on his anger, filing away the information to turn over and unpick later on. “Is that an unfounded slur, or was Alenko involved with someone recently?”

“Rumour is he was seen making cosy with some guy in a bar a couple months back,” Saren shrugged. “I can’t say I ever saw him with anyone, but where there’s smoke, y’know?”

“I don’t suppose you have a name for this mystery man?” Shepard asked.

“Sorry,” Saren shrugged, not sorry at all.

“How well did you know Agent Williams?” Shepard asked, changing tack.

Saren’s grin slipped and he busied himself with cleaning his handgun. “Not well. We were in the same division for a while.”

“Your file says you operated in the same vice unit before she joined IA.”

Saren looked up sharply. “If you already know, why are you asking?”

“To see what you tell me. And what you don’t.”

“I get it. This is because she reported me that one time, isn’t it?” Saren asked, sniffing.

“Infraction of discipline,” Shepard stated. “That got you an official reprimand and a pretty big black mark on your record.”

“I never was one to play the promotion game anyway,” Saren said, all pretence at civility gone. “We done?”

“Almost. Where were you between five and seven on the evening of the 17th?”

“Left the office around five, got home at five thirty and spent the whole night with my wife,” Saren said, smooth and just slightly rehearsed. “We ate chicken for dinner, watched ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and turned in early. Ask her yourself.”

“I will,” Shepard smiled wryly, “but I’m sure she’ll back you up.” He turned to leave, then glanced back over his shoulder. “So what was the answer to the final puzzle?”

Saren grinned. “John Grisham - ‘A Time To Kill’.”

* * *

Shepard spent the day interviewing Lieutenant Alenko’s colleagues; he kept hearing about how private and introverted the detective could be but overall it seemed that he was well-liked, and nobody had a bad word to say about him. It made Saren’s comments even more incongruous, which made Shepard even more suspicious. Several people mentioned Alenko’s divorce and how much it had shaken him up, but nobody could corroborate Saren’s assertion about a boyfriend beyond a rumour that he was seen in a bar with a guy no-one could name.

Last on his list to interview was Mike Vyrnnus; Shepard found him in the locker room, changing his shirt at the end of his shift. He glanced up when he heard Shepard approaching, then rolled his eyes and looked away. “It’s my turn now, huh? Lucky me.”

“Why, do you have something to hide?” Shepard asked. He tried to always stay unbiased, as objective as possible, but Vyrnnus’s manner had already got his back up.

“Not a thing,” Vyrnnus said, buttoning his clean shirt. “But I have a date tonight, so can we move it along?”

“How do you get along with Detective Alenko?”

“Can’t stand him,” Vyrnnus said, then grinned meanly. “And not just because he’s a fag.”

Shepard’s blood ran cold, then hot, and he had to rein in the urge to punch the guy’s teeth down his throat. “You think that’s an appropriate term to use for a fellow officer?” he barked, his tone hard and icy. “Or anyone, for that matter?”

Vyrnnus frowned. “Hey, you’re not the one who has to get changed in here with him, wondering where his beady little eyes are lookin’.”

Shepard took a breath, gritted his teeth, then asked, “Where were you on the evening of the 17th?”

“Home. Alone,” Vyrnnus said, squaring up to Shepard despite being a few inches shorter. “Why, you think _I_ killed Williams?”

Shepard shrugged, unfazed. “Could be.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because she reported you for sexual harassment while you were both working Narcotics,” Shepard said.

Vyrnnus snorted. “You have done your research, haven’t you?” He shrugged, trying to look casual but not quite getting there. “You call a girl sweetcheeks once too often and suddenly it’s harassment. That was something and nothing, blew over in no time, did me no harm. I don’t hold a grudge.”

“And I’m just going to take your word for that, right?” Shepard asked sardonically.

“Got any other ideas?” Vyrnnus asked, his whole manner confrontational.

Shepard just smiled coldly. “Thanks for your time. It’s been very enlightening.”

* * *

Being a good detective meant following every lead, so even though he suspected that Saren and Vyrnnus had something major to hide, Shepard still had to consider the possibility that Williams’s murder was entirely unrelated to her work.

He chased down her ex-boyfriend, her parents and her sisters, to see if anything in her personal life could give him a different angle. The picture he built up was of a career-focussed woman who did things by the book, with few close friends but nobody you could call an enemy. Her ex was a hedgefund manager with a very pretty, very pregnant fiancée, who hadn’t spoken to Williams in eighteen months; he’d ended the relationship because of her commitment to her work, but there was clearly no bad feeling there.

Satisfied that the murder was nothing to do with the agent’s personal life, Shepard turned next to the possibility that Alenko had been the target all along; that someone had lured him to the apartment using Williams as bait. Cops tended to make enemies, so Shepard spent some time going through Alenko’s recent case files looking for criminals who were awaiting trial or had recently got out of prison. Three of the people on the list had subsequently been arrested again and were back in custody, and none of the others seemed to fit the profile. About half were small-time, arrested for non-violent crimes. The remainder were career criminals with histories of violence, but Shepard couldn’t shake the feeling that they’d have taken on Alenko directly and not killed someone else to entrap him, leaving him injured but alive.

And finally, there was Alenko’s personal life to consider. Shepard spoke to Alenko’s friends outside of work, which didn’t take long since there were very few, leaving his ex-wife until last. He spoke to her on the phone, explained the situation, and arranged a time to meet with her.

Rahna Reynolds lived with her new investment banker husband and teenage stepson in a middle-class suburb of Evanston on the outskirts of Chicago. Shepard drove down streets of cookie cutter homes, basketball hoops on driveways, kids screaming around on bikes, before pulling up outside a white-painted house with a neatly mowed lawn and beds full of colourful chrysanthemums. The door was opened by a slender, dark-haired woman who smiled, welcomed him, led him into a light and airy sitting room. A tray on the coffee table held a silver coffee pot, milk, sugar and two fragile-looking china mugs. Shepard sat and accepted a cup, stirring in milk as he watched Rahna sip her coffee black. She was a striking woman, pretty and fine-boned with big, liquid eyes and a delicate air. He could see how she’d draw out the protective instinct in a guy.

“Thank you for speaking with me,” Shepard said, setting down his cup.

“Anything to help Kaidan,” Rahna smiled, a touch nervously.

“I’m just trying to get a sense of whether anyone in his personal life might hold a grudge,” Shepard explained. “There’s a chance that whoever killed Agent Williams did it to get at Kaidan.”

“How awful,” Rahna gasped, revulsion clear on her face.

“Yes, it is,” Shepard said, realising he’d unconsciously adopted a soothing persona for her. “I realise you two divorced over a year ago, but have you had any contact with Kaidan recently?”

“No,” Rahna said, shifting in her chair. “I’ve had no reason to, and Gregory wouldn’t like me to anyway.”

“That’s your husband, Gregory Reynolds?” Shepard clarified. At Rahna’s nod he asked, “Does Gregory hold any animosity towards your ex-husband?”

Rahna glanced away, gazing at the manicured lawn outside the windows. “I suppose you could say that,” she said, holding herself very still. “He and Kaidan…they have a history of not getting along.” She turned to look back at Shepard, her expressive eyes filled with concern. “But he wouldn’t be involved with anything like this. He doesn’t like Kaidan but he wouldn’t try to hurt him, and he certainly wouldn’t murder anyone.”

“I found a police report for your former address,” Shepard said carefully. “There was an altercation there between Kaidan and Gregory, is that right?”

“Yes.” Rahna looked down at her hands, slowly turning her coffee cup between her palms. “I’m not proud of myself, Detective Shepard, but I’m afraid to say I was…uh, involved with Gregory for a while before the divorce.”

“You were having an affair with him,” Shepard said bluntly.

Rahna flinched and looked away again. “Yes. The night you’re talking about, Kaidan came home from work early and found Gregory at the house. He…reacted badly.”

Shepard frowned; the police report only mentioned that a neighbour had called about hearing shouting and breaking noises from the Alenko home, but since no charges were pressed the attending officers hadn’t included any further details. “How badly?” he asked.

Tears appeared in Rahna’s eyes. “When Kaidan first came home he was angry, of course, but I could see he was trying to stay calm. But Gregory…it was like he was looking for a fight, doing his best to provoke Kaidan. I kept telling Gregory to leave, that I had to talk to Kaidan alone, but he wouldn’t go. Then he said some…unfortunate things about me, about our sex life, and I guess Kaidan saw red. He hit Gregory - more than once, I don’t know…” She stopped, took a deep breath, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief that she drew from her pocket. “Then the police showed up and…honestly, I don’t remember much more about it than that.”

“I see. Thank you, that must have been hard to talk about again,” Shepard said gently. “Can you tell me why Gregory didn't press any charges?”

“I persuaded him not to,” Rahna said, and when she met Shepard’s eyes there was a hint of steel that hadn’t been there before. “After the way we’d already hurt Kaidan, it seemed like the right thing to do.”

“So, can I ask where your husband was between five and seven on the evening of Wednesday 17th?” Shepard asked.

“At the office, I expect,” Rahna said, sniffing daintily. “He usually doesn’t get home until around eight. I’m sure his secretary will be able to confirm it for you.” She reached forward, took the lid off a silver box on the coffee table and drew out a business card. “Here’s his number at the office if you need it.”

“Thanks,” Shepard said, taking the card and suppressing an eye roll at the idea of a guy keeping his business cards in a fancy box in his lounge. “Before I go, I need to ask if you know whether Kaidan was seeing anyone else at the time you broke up?”

“No,” Rahna said, shaking her head, something regretful in her face. “Kaidan would never do that.”

“I see,” Shepard said. “And how about since the divorce?”

Rahna looked at him from under her lashes, a little bit vulnerable and a little bit calculating. “You’ve heard the rumours, then?”

“Rumours?” Shepard asked blandly, taking a mouthful of coffee.

“About Kaidan and the guy from the gym,” Rahna said. When Shepard just looked evenly at her, Rahna sighed and set down her cup. “I heard from…a friend that Kaidan had been seeing a guy named James who works at his gym – Silver’s Gym, on Feros Street. I don’t know if it’s true but…that kind of rumour sticks, true or not.”

“It sure does,” Shepard said, taking a note of the details. “How did you feel about that?”

“If Kaidan was happy, I feel fine about it,” Rahna said with a delicate shrug. “It wouldn’t be the first guy he - ” She broke off suddenly, meeting Shepard’s eye with a panicked expression.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Shepard reassured her. “Your ex-husband’s sexuality isn’t an issue here, and I have no interest in smearing his name. I just need to figure out if anyone had sufficient motive to want to harm him.”

“Oh,” Rahna said, smiling quickly. “That’s…that’s good. I’m sorry I don’t know any more about James, but I do know that Gregory found the whole thing hilarious.” She tried to hide the scorn, but Shepard saw it.

Shepard clenched his jaw. “Forgive me for saying it, Mrs Reynolds, but it sounds a little bit like your husband has it in for Kaidan.”

“I wouldn’t put it that strongly,” Rahna said cautiously. “He doesn’t like Kaidan, it’s true, but that’s to be expected in a situation like ours.” She looked away again, studying the chrysanthemums. “I think Gregory is a little bit jealous of Kaidan, to be honest. I mean, you know him so you could understand why – he’s a great guy, a handsome cop who volunteers at a homeless shelter and competes in triathlons. That’s a lot to compete with for someone like Gregory.”

 _Someone like Gregory_. Shepard noted the turn of phrase, the hint of disdain in her voice when she talked about her current husband. “But that didn’t stop you from cheating on him,” he said, a little shocked at himself. It was unprofessional, but somehow he couldn’t keep the words in.

Rahna looked at him suddenly, spots of colour appearing on her cheekbones. “How dare you judge me, Detective? You know nothing about me, or my life.” She stood, anger making those big eyes bright. “I think I’d like you to leave now.”

“Of course. My apologies for any offence,” Shepard said off-handedly, glad to be leaving.

On the drive back to the precinct Shepard mentally sifted through all the new information. Rahna’s new marriage seemed far from ideal, and he wondered why she’d marry a guy who sounded like the world’s biggest asshole from her own account of him. When she’d talked about Kaidan her whole manner changed, her body language loosening and her eyes taking on a wistful gleam. She clearly still cared for him, which made her infidelity more surprising. Perhaps the lure of a nice house, a dependable husband with a safe, unremarkable job, had just proved too tempting for her; not everyone was cut out to be a cop’s spouse, after all.

He was all but convinced now that Williams had been targeted specifically and Kaidan was just unfortunate enough to have been caught up in it all. Really, he should get back to his desk and write this all up while it was fresh in his mind. But there was something nagging away at him, a little voice in his head that wouldn’t stop whispering, so he drove instead to Silver’s Gym to scratch the itch of his curiosity.

* * *

Shepard followed the receptionist into the gym’s weight room, following her pointed finger to a guy in a too-tight T-shirt standing over a red-faced, paunchy man who was struggling to lift a barbell.

 _S_ _o this is Alenko’s alleged ex_ , Shepard thought, looking the guy up and down as he approached. James Vega was hot, no doubt, with a tattoo crawling up his neck and a hard, muscular body. Shepard felt what could only be described as a twinge of jealousy before he ruthlessly stamped it down.

“That’s it, _amigo_ , you got this,” Vega was saying to the paunchy guy, glancing up at Shepard.

“James Vega?” Shepard asked, flashing his badge.

“Yeah, that’s me,” Vega said, frowning. “Can this wait? I’m with a client.”

“I’m afraid not,” Shepard said firmly.

Vega rolled his eyes but nodded, excusing himself from a very relieved-looking client, and led Shepard to a quiet corner of the room. “What’s this about?” he asked, scratching his scarred lip with his thumb.

“I’m investigating a murder, an Internal Affairs agent named Ashley Williams,” Shepard said.

“Never heard of her,” Vega shrugged. “Was she a member here?”

“No, but the main suspect is a friend of yours, I believe – Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko?”

“ _Kaidan_?” Vega repeated, eyes going wide, and he barked out a short, sharp laugh. “Are you _loco_ or somethin’? No way Kaidan’d do that.”

“You sound pretty sure,” Shepard said. “You two are good friends?”

Vega sniffed, his gaze sliding sideways. “Maybe you should ask Kaidan.”

“I’m asking you,” Shepard said, irritation prickling.

“Yeah, but you work with him, right? I don’t know what people at work know about him, and I ain’t saying anything that’ll compromise him.” Vega folded his arms and clenched his jaw for emphasis.

Shepard felt a stirring approval; perhaps there was a little more to this guy than just muscles. “I get that, Mr Vega, and I don’t intend to cause any trouble for Detective Alenko. I just need to get a little background on him, and there’s a possibility that someone with a vendetta framed him for this. Someone like a pissed off ex, for example - can you tell me where you were between five and seven on the evening of Wednesday 17th?”

Vega chuckled, but there was no humour in it. “Right here. I teach a kickboxing class every Wednesday. Arrive just after five, teach five thirty to seven.”

“Right. I’ll need someone to corroborate that you were here that particular evening.”

“Speak to Sam at reception, she saw me come in and she’ll have the class list.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks for your time,” Shepard said, knowing there was nothing more to learn here. In truth he didn’t really need to have come at all but some part of him had needed to see Vega for himself. He wasn’t sure he wanted to acknowledge exactly why that should be.

Shepard turned to leave but Vega said, “Hey, just a sec – is he okay? Kaidan, I mean. He must be hating this.” There was sincerity on his face and a shade of concern in his voice; Shepard felt a sudden need to know exactly what had gone on between him and Alenko.

“He’s fine,” Shepard said. “Holding up.”

“Yeah? Good,” Vega nodded, his scarred mouth twisting. “Could you…uh, maybe tell him I asked about him? Y’know, if he needs anything…?”

“I will,” Shepard said, turning to leave again.

He’d taken only a few steps before Vega called after him, “He didn’t do it, you know? Whatever you think he did. He’s a good guy. The best, actually.”

Shepard nodded in acknowledgement, but didn’t stop walking. Now he’d gotten that out of his system, it was time to start flushing out Saren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, and your comments mean a lot :)
> 
> Next time: Saren gets sloppy, and Kaidan goes on a date...


	6. Revelations

Shepard drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for Saren to come out of the precinct. He’d checked the man’s alibi for the night of the murder, but naturally his nervous wife had backed it up. Still, Shepard had a gut feeling that Saren was hiding something, and since he had no new evidence to question him on, he’d decided to tail him after work and see where he went.

A little over an hour later, just as Shepard was beginning to regret that second cup of coffee, Saren appeared and jogged over to his parked car. Shepard started his engine, let Saren drive off, then eased his car into traffic after a few other vehicles had passed him by.

They drove for around ten minutes, heading towards the seedier part of town, until Saren parked up outside a small bar nestled in a grungy strip mall between a pawnbroker and a tattoo parlour. Shepard parked down the block and took off his sport coat, slipped on the leather jacket he kept in his trunk, and walked back to the bar.

He’d found that in life a confident swagger and air of arrogance could get you far; if you walked into a place like you owned it, like you had a right to be there, then people usually didn’t question it. So he entered the bar with a strut in his step, ordered a beer like he drank there every day, and didn’t so much as glance at Saren as he took a seat that put him back to back with the detective. None of the patrons paid him any attention, Saren barely glancing at him when he walked past, and Shepard settled in to wait. He took out his phone and began browsing through it, sipping his beer but barely swallowing a drop.

After a few minutes the door opened and a dark-haired man in a stylish suit and loud tie walked in. Shepard frowned; the man was familiar, but he couldn’t quite place him. Then the guy turned, showing Shepard his face at a different angle, and the penny dropped.

 _Eddie Finch, you son of a bitch_. Finch worked for Aria T’Loak; he wasn’t one of Omega’s big shots, but he was no corner boy either. If Saren was in bed with him, Alenko’s claims of corruption suddenly held a lot more water.

Finch looked around before sitting opposite Saren, who seemed relaxed and unruffled. Shepard leaned back in his chair to get a little closer; the ‘80s rock soundtrack was pretty loud but he heard Saren say, “Is everything set up for Friday?”

“Yeah,” said Finch, “eight o’clock, no problems.”

“You definitely have everything in place at your end?”

“Stop worrying, I told you – I’ll get her there.”

“Make sure you do,” Saren said. “This is gonna be huge for us both.”

“I know,” Finch said, whiny and exasperated. “I do know what I’m doing here, y’know.”

“You’d better,” Saren said, glancing around as though they were having a casual conversation. “Don’t forget I’m in a position to make your life very difficult if you screw me around.”

“Yeah? Well, I know a few things about you too, pal,” Finch bristled. “I told you it’ll be sorted, no need for anyone to threaten anyone else.”

“Fine,” Saren said, then stood and left. After a minute, Finch did the same.

Shepard sat a little longer, staring unseeingly at the dartboard as he let his thoughts run. Finch was a known member of a criminal gang whose name and number had been found at the murder scene; now there was a provable link between him and Saren, and no doubt Vyrnnus was up to his eyes in it too. Alenko’s story about being framed was looking pretty iron clad, and Shepard felt some measure of relief as he allowed himself to acknowledge it.

His mind chose that moment to conjure up an image of Alenko frowning at him across the interview table. He swallowed, remembering the intensity in those brown eyes. He always gave his all to every case, but he felt a new determination to get to the bottom of the murky pit of corruption he’d uncovered and clear Alenko’s name in the process.

* * *

Kaidan had heard of Bar Illium, knew that it was fast becoming a ‘place to be seen’, but had never been before. It was pretty busy for a weeknight but Kaidan found a free table along the back wall, a trendy young couple just leaving as he approached. He sat and slipped off his jacket, scoping the place out. The décor was kinda quirky, folksy and casual, but had clearly been very carefully designed to look that way. The lighting was low but not at all gloomy, and the music had a cool indie vibe without being intrusive.

Kaidan smiled when he spied Steve approaching with their drinks. “Thanks,” he said as Steve set down a lager in front of him. “This is a cool place, I like it.”

“Yeah, I come here pretty often,” Steve nodded. “It’s got a good atmosphere but it never gets too busy. I’m not really one for crowds.”

“Me either,” Kaidan smiled. “Especially lately.”

“Now that sounds dramatic but intriguing,” Steve said, eyes twinkling. “Edie mentioned you’d had a bad breakup recently.”

“She did, huh? I’d love to say that shocks me,” Kaidan said with a rueful smile, setting his bottle down dead in the centre of the paper coaster. “Yeah, I broke up with someone about a month ago, but it was never serious. He was great, for a while – young, enthusiastic, great for my ego. But then I found out he was seeing someone else, so I ended it. Of course, he gave me the whole, 'it was just a couple of times, it meant nothing to me' routine but…I don’t need that kinda hassle, you know? If he did it once…”

“Yeah, I hear that,” Steve nodded. “My last guy was seeing someone else, too. Makes you question yourself in all sorts of ways, right?”

“Exactly,” Kaidan nodded. With an effort he shook off the gloom that was slowly settling on his shoulders and said, “How about we leave the ex-boyfriend conversation for another time – I want to hear more about you.”

“Works for me,” Steve smiled, and Kaidan felt the tension in his shoulders ebbing away. Steve was a good-looking guy and Kaidan felt comfortable with him already, which was rare; usually it took him a little longer to be able to really relax around people. Kaidan asked about Steve’s job as an aerospace engineer, which led on to him talking about his favourite hobby, flying light aircraft. Steve talked with passion; he was interesting and engaging and funny. Kaidan found himself relaxing, laughing, until his attention was snagged suddenly by the appearance of a tall, blue-eyed man at the bar behind Steve.

Lieutenant Shepard was leaning his elbows on the bar top, and the slight bend at his waist pulled his jeans tight across a butt that Kaidan couldn’t believe he’d missed before. The detective looked different out of a suit, the leather jacket and boots giving him a rakish, punky look that really suited him. With the hard angles of his face and the scar across his brow, he could easily fit in at a biker bar; Kaidan almost couldn’t believe this was the same guy who’d interrogated him at the station.

He also couldn’t quite believe the way his body was reacting to Shepard’s presence, his blood pumping faster and hotter. He tore his eyes away from the other man; Steve didn’t seem to have noticed his distraction, and Kaidan was just in time to join in as his date laughed at his own joke.

Shepard glanced over and did a double take when he saw Kaidan. For a moment they just looked at each other; then Shepard nodded to him once, formally, and turned away.

Kaidan’s heart thudded, disappointment and relief warring for dominance. He felt terrible for being so distracted – Steve was a nice guy who deserved better. But it seemed that Shepard had gotten under his skin, like it or not, and he had no clue what to do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Shepard and Kaidan make a truce of sorts, and someone gets caught in the line of fire...


	7. Detente

Kaidan helped himself to another cup of coffee from the pot that Liara had made before she left for work. He was beginning to miss his own home, his own space, but living with Liara definitely had its benefits.

His cell phone rang and he answered within two rings. “Kaidan Alenko.”

“Hey, it’s me,” said Joker, low and hurried. “Don’t ask, just listen – Saren and Vyrnnus have just left the office looking plenty shifty; I heard Saren say something about getting over to 15th Street ‘before he gets spooked and leaves’. I can’t officially investigate this, but I thought you might wanna know.”

“Yeah, I do. Thanks, man,” Kaidan said, and hung up. He grabbed his jacket and keys, pausing on his way out of the front door. He wasn’t supposed to be getting involved, and there was a chance he could jeopardise his position or the case even further. But he knew in his bones that the two detectives were involved in murdering Williams and framing him, and if there was a chance to catch them doing something illegal he couldn’t let it pass. 

It didn’t take long to get across to 15th Street and sure enough, Saren’s car was parked outside a dingy pool hall named Balls ‘n’ Beers. Great name, Kaidan thought to himself, rolling his eyes. He parked a little further along the block, watching the front door in his rear mirror. Before long Saren and Vyrnnus came out; Saren was carrying a large holdall and Vyrnnus was talking to a skinny blonde guy that Kaidan recognised as a small-time arms dealer. He frowned, taking a few photos with his phone’s camera, noting with alarm that the battery was almost dead.

The detectives got back into their car and Kaidan followed them into an industrial estate, staying well back as the traffic got lighter and parking up when they did. He watched, shocked, as Vyrnnus got out of the car, cut the padlock off the gate at the back of a meat processing factory and headed straight for one of the delivery vehicles parked in the lot. Kaidan raised his phone to take some photos but it was unresponsive, the battery finally dead. Kaidan cursed as he watched Vyrnnus jam a lock-breaking tool into the driver’s door lock, get in and drive off at speed with Saren just behind him.

Kaidan’s heart was racing as he followed them. He’d just witnessed Vyrnnus commit two crimes in the space of a few minutes, with Saren as a willing and cognisant accomplice. There was no way they could talk their way out of this one; finally he’d got them pinned. What he didn’t understand was how it related to the murder, or why they’d stolen a meat delivery van, but maybe when they got to wherever they were going it would all become clear.

He followed the two vehicles to an intersection; the van went through just as the lights changed and Saren’s car shot through on red. Kaidan was torn for a second – it would be dangerous as well as illegal to go through on red, plus he was suspended so would have no professional cover to protect him. On the other hand, he needed to know what the dirty cops were up to and this was the best lead so far.

But then the decision was made for him as a city bus pulled out into the intersection, cutting off Kaidan’s chance at pursuit. He cursed and slammed the steering wheel with his palm, then ran a hand through his hair.

He knew he had no choice but to tell Lieutenant Shepard what he’d seen, and he couldn’t hide behind Joker this time. Shepard would no doubt be unimpressed, tear a strip off him for breaking protocol and endangering the investigation. There was even a chance that Kaidan would receive an official reprimand, a permanent black mark on his record.

But there was nothing else he could do. This lead needed to be investigated, and Shepard was the only one who could do it.

*

Shepard knocked on the black front door and waited; after a moment Alenko opened it. Shepard took in the blue jeans and plaid shirt, the muscled forearms below rolled-up sleeves, then looked into those brown eyes again and swallowed. 

“Detective Shepard,” Alenko said, and was his voice always that husky? “Please, come in.”

“Thanks,” he said, glancing around the tastefully decorated hallway. “This isn’t the address on your file.”

“I’m staying with a friend, Dr Liara T’Soni,” Alenko said. 

“Right,” Shepard nodded. “I interviewed her to ask her whether she thought you were the axe murderer type. You’ll be happy to know she didn’t.” 

Kaidan looked at him sideways, not sure how to take that. “I’d hope not. We’ve known each other a long time.”

“Hmm. Any particular reason you’re not living at your place?” Shepard asked, following him toward the kitchen.

“The press has been staking out my house the last couple of days,” Kaidan said. “Liara’s going to call over there today and see if they’re gone so I can go home.”

“I see. So, care to tell me why you got me over here?” 

Kaidan headed for the coffee maker and poured two cups, both men taking a seat at the kitchen island. “I’ve uncovered some new information that’s pertinent to your case,” he said carefully, watching Shepard stir milk into his coffee.

“You mean the case wherein you’re implicated in the murder of a fellow officer?” Shepard asked, a sharp edge to his voice. “Exactly how would you have come by this new information?”

Kaidan’s face hardened and he said, “Look, I deserve whatever grief I’m going to get for this, but can you at least hear me out first?”

Shepard blinked then nodded, sipped his coffee, just a little bit impressed.

“I was out for a drive this morning,” Kaidan began, glancing away, and Shepard let the lie slide. “I saw Saren’s car so I followed him, saw him and Vyrnnus talking with Anto Korragan.” 

“The gun dealer?” Shepard asked with a frown.

“Yeah,” Kaidan nodded. He passed his phone across, open to the photos he’d managed to take. “This is all I got before the battery died.” 

“They could just have been shaking down a suspect,” Shepard said, swiping through the half-dozen pictures.

“Yeah, I know it could look that way but it all seemed a little too friendly. So I, uh…I decided to follow them,” Kaidan said, taking back his phone.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Shepard asked, leaning back in his seat.

“I know, it was a reckless decision,” Kaidan sighed, “but I had to follow my gut. And it’s a good thing I did – I witnessed Vyrnnus commit trespass, grand theft auto and criminal damage within the space of a few minutes while Saren just sat back and watched.”

Shepard sat up straight, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling like they always did when a juicy clue fell into place. “Okay, you’ve got my attention,” he said.

Kaidan took a deep breath. “I followed them to Gardner’s meat processing factory, where Vyrnnus broke the lock to gain entry to the back lot. He hotwired one of their delivery vans and drove off east with Saren following. I pursued but lost them at the junction of 7th and Alchera.”

“That’s quite a tale,” Shepard said, his mind racing with the implications. It would have seemed far-fetched a day or two ago, but having seen Saren with Eddie Finch he wasn’t ruling anything out.

“If you think I’m making it up - ” Kaidan began, but Shepard cut him off.

“Relax, that’s not what I meant. I believe what you’re telling me and I’ll investigate this like I would any other lead. The problem is that all I have to go on is the word of the prime suspect in the case - and by the way, I’m not happy that you’ve gotten yourself involved like this,” Shepard said pointedly. “You’ve been on the force long enough to know better and from what I can see, you’ve been an exemplary officer up until now.”

Kaidan seemed thrown by that for a second, then said, “I’ve also never been framed for murder up until now. I couldn’t just sit on my hands and wait – I had a chance to find out some useful information and I took it. I’m willing to bet you’d do the same.”

Shepard smiled before he could stop himself. “Probably. But the fact remains that your involvement could taint any evidence I do uncover. A decent defence attorney would be quick to point out that this lead is compromised by your involvement.”

“So build such a strong case that the source of this lead won’t even matter because the evidence is overwhelming,” Alenko said intently; his dark eyes gleamed, bright and captivating.

“Just like that, huh?” Shepard said, allowing a grin to form.

“I hear you’re a good detective,” Kaidan shrugged, sitting back and taking a drink. “I’m sure it’ll be a piece of cake for you.”

A warmth spread in Shepard’s chest at the small smile on Kaidan’s face. He hadn’t met anyone he was this attracted to for a long time, and it was so typical – and so hot – that he felt this way about someone he was absolutely forbidden to date, even if Kaidan had been available. 

Kaidan took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I know this isn’t exactly following protocol but…can you tell me how the case is going? Not specifics, just generally.”

The answer that sprang to Shepard’s lips was No, absolutely not, forget it. But there was an earnestness and honesty in Kaidan’s face that made him pause. 

“Generally, I have some decent leads to follow,” Shepard said after a minute. “I’ve also been able to get phone taps authorised on Saren’s desk phone and work cell, so that might turn up something interesting.”

“Why Saren and not Vyrnnus?” Kaidan asked, leaning forward.

Shepard raised an eyebrow. “Because I’ve observed him participating in some questionable activity,” he said, then frowned. “Plus, he’s kind of an asshole.”

Kaidan laughed, and it sparked something inside him. It seemed like the look between them caught, stretched, longer than a casual glance. Then suddenly Kaidan’s cell phone rang, shattering the moment.

He checked the screen and said to Shepard, “It’s Liara – do you mind if I get it?”

“Go ahead,” Shepard said, taking a drink. He tried not to stare at Kaidan as he got down from the stool and paced towards the sink, but didn’t succeed. He tried not to let his gaze wander down that broad back, over the appealing curves of Kaidan’s ass, but that didn’t work either.

Then Kaidan’s spine stiffened and he said, “Is she okay?” He looked over at Shepard; his brow drawn down and his jaw set – whatever he was hearing, it was bad news. 

Shepard was blindsided by the protective rush he felt, the urge to offer his help. When Kaidan ended the call Shepard asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Liara’s in the hospital,” Kaidan said, shell-shocked and pale. “There was a bomb in my house and she…she…”

“Hey, she’ll be okay,” Shepard said, standing, putting a hand on Kaidan’s shoulder. 

“She’d better be,” Kaidan said vehemently, stepping away and pulling his jacket on, “or Saren’s problems are just beginning.”

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t just hear you threaten a cop, and ask if you’re sure you can drive,” Shepard said neutrally, following Kaidan to the front door. “You seem a little…emotional.”

“I’m fine,” Kaidan said, yanking the door open. “I just need to get to her.”

Shepard stepped out onto the path, waited while Kaidan locked the front door. When he started walking towards his car, Shepard stopped him with a hand on his arm. “I’m going to head over to your place, talk to the officer at the scene,” he said, gentling his voice as he went on, “Let me know how Liara’s doing?”

“Sure,” Kaidan said after a second’s pause. Although he was frowning, there was something soft and warm in his gaze that Shepard was sure he wasn’t imagining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kaidan visits Liara, and Shepard makes Kaidan an offer he can refuse.


	8. Invitation

Shepard walked through the fire-scorched back door into Kaidan’s kitchen-diner, stepping carefully over fallen bricks and charred wood. He looked around, taking note of the crime scene techs, the photographer, the blood-stained rug and the officer taking a witness statement from a shocked-looking woman. He also noted the tasteful décor, the shelves crammed with books, the family photos dotted around the walls. Kaidan’s home was comfortable, inviting; Shepard felt a pang of anger at the damage that had been caused, the injustice of it.

He spotted a detective talking on a cell phone and approached him, waiting for him to end the call. Finally the detective hung up, glanced at him and said, “Is there something you need?”

“Detective John Shepard,” he said, flashing his ID. “I’m investigating the murder of an IA officer and I believe there may be links to this crime scene.”

“Thane Krios,” the other detective nodded in reply, his steady, dark gaze never wavering. “Tell me what you have.” 

Shepard quickly but thoroughly explained the background – Williams’s murder, Alenko’s involvement, his belief that the detective had been set up. 

When he’d finished, Krios rubbed a hand over his smooth-shaven jaw. “I agree with your supposition, Detective Shepard; it seems likely that there is a link. I’ll share my findings with you, so long as you keep me appraised of your own investigation.”

“Of course,” Shepard said, relieved that the other detective wasn’t going to be possessive about ‘his’ case. “So what do you know so far?”

“The explosion was caused by a home-made device, fairly complex and built with some degree of skill. It was hidden inside the refrigerator; when Ms T’Soni opened the door, the bomb was triggered,” Detective Krios explained calmly. “There is some evidence that she’d begun to try and shut the door, which probably shielded her from the worst of the blast.”

“Any idea who’s responsible?”

“Not yet. When I know anything, you will too.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Shepard said sincerely.

Shepard had intended to go back to the precinct from the crime scene, but something made him drive instead to the hospital. He found Liara’s ward and talked to her doctor, using his badge as a cover for the fact that he wanted to know if Kaidan’s friend would be okay. Then he headed over to Liara’s room, glancing in through the open door.

A blond woman lay in the bed, surrounded by monitors and tubes and cables. Her eyes were closed, her face half-covered with bandages; bruises and small wounds covered her exposed arms, and she looked pale and tiny against the pillows.

Kaidan sat at her bedside, gently holding one of her bandaged hands as he gazed at her bruised face, and Shepard could see the man’s anguish. It felt like a private moment so he turned to leave, just as Kaidan looked up and saw him. “Hey, just a minute,” he called; Shepard waited outside for him.

Kaidan looked terrible, pale and anxious. “What did you find out?” he asked.

“Nothing useful yet, though the detective in charge has agreed to share information,” Shepard said. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything more positive to tell you.”

Kaidan nodded, looking lost and deflated.

Wanting to reach out somehow, Shepard said, “I spoke to Liara’s doctor. He said her long-term prognosis looks good.”

“Yeah,” Kaidan said flatly.

“I’d have thought that would be good news,” Shepard said carefully.

“It is,” Kaidan said, scrubbing one hand through his dark hair in a gesture of frustration. “It’s just…I keep thinking it should be me in there, not her.”

“This isn’t your fault, Kaidan,” Shepard said firmly.

“Actually, it is,” Kaidan said, glaring at him. “A police officer is dead, my best friend got blown halfway to hell, and the only reason any of this is happening is because I got myself involved in something that was none of my business.”

“How do you mean?”

“Come on, Shepard, you know what I mean,” Kaidan said, frustration in his tone and posture. “If I hadn’t gone to Agent Williams with my suspicions, she’d never have started investigating Saren and Vyrnnus, so they’d never have decided to kill her and set me up for it. Williams would be alive and Liara would be safe and well.”

“Can I just remind you that it wasn’t you who set that bomb?” Shepard said, taking a step closer. “Liara is in hospital because some scumbag decided to solve his problems with violence. You did the right thing by reporting suspected corruption on the force, and none of this is on you.”

Kaidan looked at him then, really looked at him; then he nodded and suddenly the fire was gone and he looked smaller somehow, diminished.

“Where are you going to stay tonight?” Shepard asked, his concern genuine. “Whoever set the bomb will know now that you have a link with Liara; they may come after you at her place.”

“Shit. I hadn’t thought of that,” Kaidan blinked, and shrugged. “I guess I’ll stay in a hotel, book in under a false name.”

“There isn’t another friend you could stay with – the guy from the bar, maybe?” Shepard fished.

Kaidan’s eyes sharpened. “If that’s a crack about my sexuality…”

“No, it’s not,” Shepard said, raising his hands. “I just assumed he might be – ah, your partner, I guess.”

“No. He’s…someone I’m getting to know,” Kaidan said. “But I can’t ask him. I mean, anyone connected with me could become a target now, right? No, I’ll be fine at a hotel.”

“Okay then,” Shepard nodded, then took a step back. “Well…I should go.”

“Yeah. And thanks – for being open with me, and for coming over here to check on Liara.”

“Sure,” Shepard shrugged. Then on a whim he said, “I’ll keep you in the loop when I know anything more.”

“I appreciate that,” Kaidan said. “I’ll be at the Wyatt.” His tone was soft and somehow intimate, and Shepard had to turn and walk away before he said something stupid.

*

Shepard knocked on the door to Room 314, listening for movement inside; it was a little before 8am, but he was betting Alenko was an early riser. Sure enough, after a minute the door opened to reveal Kaidan in a bathrobe, dark hair falling over his forehead in a damp jumble of curls.

“Oh, it’s you,” Kaidan said, flustered, and pulled the robe’s ties a little tighter. “I thought you were room service.”

“Can I come in?” Shepard asked, eyes dropping involuntarily to the dark hairs below Kaidan’s collarbone before he had the presence of mind to look away.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Kaidan said, and walked back into the room. Shepard shut the door and followed him, ignoring the flex of his bare calves.

“I got a call from Detective Krios first thing,” Shepard said. “It seems likely that the bomb planted in your home was made by someone named Curt Weisman, an explosives guy who works for Aria T’Loak.”

“Now I have the mob after me too?” Kaidan asked, and shook his head. “Guess I don’t do anything by halves, huh?”

“Why make life easy for yourself?” Shepard said with a shrug. “But you may want to think again about finding somewhere safe to hide out. If the mob is onto you, you’re vulnerable staying at a hotel - they’d have no problems tracking you down here. Are you sure there isn’t a friend you can ask, someone they wouldn’t know about?”

“I don’t want to put anyone else at risk,” Kaidan said vehemently. “No, I’ll figure something out.”

“Well, you can’t exactly leave town, so…” Shepard paused. “Maybe you could stay with me.”

The words hung in the air. Shepard swallowed hard as he waited for a response, trying to appear casual under Kaidan’s scrutiny.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kaidan said eventually. “You’re investigating me for murder, remember?”

“Which is why they’d never think of looking for you at my apartment,” Shepard said calmly. “Besides which, the safety of a key witness is crucial to this case. I can’t have you getting gunned down and hindering my investigation, now can I?” 

Kaidan almost smiled. “Key witness? Does that mean you believe I was framed?”

“I can’t reveal details of an ongoing investigation,” Shepard said neutrally, “but…I don’t make a habit of inviting murderers to stay with me, either. Draw your own conclusions.”

This time Kaidan did smile. “Okay then. Thanks.”

“No problem,” Shepard said. He paused, then said, “I know I was pretty hard on you before - ”

“Forget it,” Kaidan interrupted. “You were doing your job, I get that. You had no reason to believe me – I know my story sounds crazy.”

“It’s making more sense the more I find out,” Shepard said.

“Good,” Kaidan nodded. “Then I can take you being a little – ah, let’s say harsh.”

“Harsh?” Shepard repeated, eyebrows raising.

“Yeah,” Kaidan said. “Sounds way better than ‘scary’.”

Shepard grinned as he wrote down his address, gave Kaidan his spare key and left to head back to the station. His mind was whirling, his stomach rolling over; Kaidan was right to be cautious about this, he was going against every regulation he could think of.

But the idea of Kaidan being hurt was suddenly unbearable, and he realised that the dark-haired man mattered more to him than following protocol. It was an odd feeling, unfamiliar and spiky, but exciting and thrilling too. He just hoped he wasn’t getting in over his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Second dates and revelations...


	9. New Information

Shepard walked into his apartment and called Kaidan’s name, carrying the takeout bag through to the kitchen.

Kaidan appeared in the doorway, watching Shepard unwrap sandwiches and set out plates. “What’s this?” he asked.

“Thought I’d have lunch at home, make sure you’re getting settled in okay,” Shepard said, taking two bottles of water out of the fridge. 

“Huh. Well…thanks,” Kaidan said, sitting at the breakfast bar. 

Shepard sat and watched Kaidan surreptitiously as they began eating, following the flex of his jaw as he chewed, the bobbing of his throat as he swallowed; his gaze lingered on the dark hair framed by the open collar of Kaidan’s shirt.

“Any new leads?” Kaidan asked, oblivious, snapping Shepard back to reality.

“Uh, yeah, actually,” Shepard said, taking a drink. “Remember I said I was tapping Saren’s phone? He received a call this morning from an unregistered cell phone, during which the words ‘ransom money’ were used.”

“Interesting,” Kaidan said thoughtfully. “Anything else useful?”

“They talked about a restaurant named Apollo’s, which apparently is a Greek restaurant over on Citadel Square. The other day I heard Saren agree to meet someone on Friday, eight o’clock, and I’m betting the two things go together.”

“Friday, as in tomorrow?” Kaidan asked, pulling a tomato slice out of his sandwich and biting into it.

“Seems likely,” Shepard shrugged. “No harm in checking it out, though I’ll have to do it solo – if I request official back-up there’s a risk of Saren hearing about it.”

“Need some company?” Kaidan asked, a cheeky gleam in his eye.

Shepard laughed, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable, Alenko.”

“In a good way, I hope,” Kaidan smiled. “Seriously, though – can you even begin to imagine how frustrating it is to be just sitting around here, my best friend unconscious in hospital and a black cloud hanging over my career and reputation, knowing that the people responsible for it all are walking around out there laughing at me? I just want to do something useful, you know?”

Shepard looked at him for a long moment. He was certain by now that Kaidan was innocent, though he didn’t have all the evidence yet to prove it, and he knew that in Kaidan’s place he’d be crawling out of his skin if he couldn’t be involved in clearing his name.

Which was why, against his better judgement, he resignedly said, “Fine. But you do what I tell you, got it?”

“Absolutely,” Kaidan said, and Shepard would deny under interrogation how much his skin buzzed at the other man’s smile. “Any clue what’s going to go down?”

“I heard Saren talking to Eddie Finch the other day about getting ‘her’ there, and how it was going to be ‘huge’.” He paused, met Kaidan’s gaze dead on. “I think they’re planning to kidnap Aria T’Loak.”

Kaidan’s eyes went wide. “No fucking way.”

Shepard laughed, unable to stop himself. “Just a theory, but it makes sense given the facts I’ve gathered so far.”

“So, what – they kidnap Aria, then sell her back to Omega?” Kaidan frowned. “But how are they planning to keep their identities secret from Aria? And what if some mob lieutenant or other decides this is a great chance to get rid of the boss and take over?”

“Could be that’s what Finch is planning,” Shepard suggested. “They get the money together, pay off the ‘kidnappers’, but then, oops, something goes wrong and Aria winds up dead. That moves Finch up the pecking order with a cop in his pocket, Saren gets a stake in the biggest gang in Chicago, and the pair of them walk away with however many million dollars.”

Kaidan shook his head. “Risky, but worth it if they can pull it off. There really is no honour among thieves, huh?” He took a bite of his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. “And I guess Vyrnnus is just tagging along as Saren’s muscle.”

“Or unknowing stooge,” Shepard said, raising his eyebrows. “If it does go wrong, I wouldn’t bet against Saren pinning it all on Vyrnnus and watching him take the fall.”

“That really wouldn’t shock me, either,” Kaidan said disgustedly. There was a pause, then he said, “Thanks, Shepard. For talking to me about this, letting me be a part of it. It means a lot.”

“Sure,” Shepard shrugged, keeping his eyes fixed on Kaidan’s.

The moment stretched, neither looking away, until suddenly Kaidan’s cell phone rang and shattered the mood. 

Kaidan drew it out of his back pocket, glanced at the screen and then at Shepard. “Sorry, but I should take this,” he said, standing and walking out into the hallway before answering. 

Shepard ate his sandwich while he waited, reflecting on just how much he was beginning to hate Kaidan’s phone. As the minutes ticked by he started planning his next move on the case, staunchly ignoring the warning voice that told him involving Kaidan could go horribly wrong. He’d always thought of himself as a strong-willed guy, immovable when it counted; but apparently he couldn’t say no to those big brown eyes.

When Kaidan walked back in with a small smile on his face, Shepard asked, “Good news about Liara?”

“Oh. No,” Kaidan said, a little shamefaced. “I, uh…it looks like I have a date tonight.”

“Oh. Right,” Shepard said, refusing to acknowledge the sudden burst of envy. “That guy you’re getting to know?”

“Steve, yeah,” Kaidan said. He took his seat and carried on eating, but the atmosphere had taken on a tense, nervy edge. 

“Well, I have a ton of paperwork waiting for me back at the precinct,” Shepard said after several silent minutes had passed. He stood, pulled his jacket on. “Leave the clearing up, I’ll do it later.”

“No, it’s fine,” Kaidan said. “I don’t mind doing it.”

Shepard nodded and left, doing his best not to imagine Kaidan and the handsome guy from the bar laughing, talking, kissing. It wasn’t as if Shepard could be with Kaidan anyway – not until the case was resolved, at least – and he knew from bitter experience how hard it was to meet someone. If the guy made Kaidan happy, then Shepard would try not to be bitter about it.

Try being the operative word.

*

Kaidan paid for the two drinks, thanking the barman by name, and took them over to where Steve was waiting in a booth.

“Thanks,” Steve said, accepting his glass of wine. “So this is your favourite bar, huh?”

“Yeah,” Kaidan nodded. “It’s nothing flashy, I know, but they carry my favourite lager and not many cops come in here.”

“Yeah, it’s good to keep your personal and professional lives separate,” Steve nodded. “I like this place; low-key, but with an atmosphere. He paused, smiled almost sheepishly. “I’ve been here before, actually, with my ex.”

“Oh yeah?” Kaidan asked, licking beer foam from his top lip. “Maybe I know him, is he a regular?”

“I don’t think so,” Steve said, sipping his drink. “At least, he didn’t get recognised like you did when you walked in. Which is a shame, really, since he loved being the centre of attention.”

Kaidan chuckled. “Sounds like he was a little shallow.”

“Oh, totally shallow,” Steve said with a grin. “But also young, hot, muscles that went on for days…never a keeper, I guess, but fun for the three weeks it lasted.”

Kaidan smiled, but an odd unease was fluttering somewhere deep in his stomach. “James was like that too, actually.”

“James?” Steve said, almost choking on a mouthful of wine. “Your ex was called James?”

Kaidan took a deep breath, suddenly fearing the worst. “Yeah. James Vega.”

Steve’s mouth fell open and he sat back in his seat. “Well, fuck me.”

Kaidan laughed, unable to keep the bitter edge off it. “I’m guessing James already did that,” he said, “right around the time he was supposed to be with me. You two broke up about a month ago, right?”

“Kaidan, shit, I had no idea…” Steve said in a low voice, glancing around to make sure nobody was looking their way. “So…where does this leave us? I mean, I think there’s a definite connection between us and…well, I really like you.”

Kaidan looked at him for a long moment, torn. He liked Steve too, felt comfortable in a way that wasn’t usual for him. But the curling unease in his gut was too hard to ignore, and he got the feeling it would never really go away. He took a deep breath. “I was starting to like you too, Steve. But I can’t keep seeing the guy who my ex cheated on me with.” Kaidan stood, pulling his jacket on. “I’m sorry, but…I just can’t.”

Steve stood too. “Yeah, I…I get that,” he sighed. “And for what it’s worth, I had no idea he was with someone when I got involved with him.”

“I believe that,” Kaidan nodded, “but it doesn’t make a difference.”

“Fair enough,” Steve said, reaching out to shake his hand. “It was good getting to know you.”

“Yeah, you too,” Kaidan said. “Good luck.”

Outside the bar, Kaidan took a deep breath of cool air as he walked to his car. He got in and started the engine but then paused, letting his head drop to where his hands clutched the steering wheel. He couldn’t help thinking he should just forget about dating for a while; clearly he wasn’t destined to be lucky in love.

His mind chose that moment to remind him of Shepard’s full lips and shining eyes, the breadth of his chest and the curve of his ass. Kaidan sighed, letting it out in a long shudder.

“Looks like I’m pretty much screwed,” he whispered to the chill, uncaring night.

<https://missannaraven.tumblr.com/post/159331623678/awesome-artwork-by-xnolights-for-my-mass-effect>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the amazing artwork by x-nolights on Tumblr! Love Shepard's cheeky wink ;)
> 
> Next time: Kaidan breaks the rules, and Shepard is impressed...


	10. Taken

Tali leaned against the stainless-steel kitchen counter, arms folded. She glanced at the clock; almost eight o’clock, the private function at Apollo’s would be starting soon. Three hours of waitressing, plastering on a smile and dodging men with grabby hands before she could go home to her cat and a bubble bath and a big, _big_ glass of wine.

She heard voices out in the main restaurant and looked through the round windows in the swing doors from the kitchen. The manager, Nicos, was greeting an elegant dark-haired lady in a gorgeous black pinstripe suit and a weaselly-looking man wearing a hideous red-and-orange tie. “Better get those hors d’oeuvres finished, Alexei,” she said to the chef, a burly guy with unruly black hair who seemed more bear than man. “Aria just arrived.”

“It’s fockin’ coming,” he snapped back at her in his thick Greek accent, demonstrating why the staff called him Grunt behind his back. “The _poutána_ will just have to wait.”

Tali laughed, earning the merest hint of a smile from the chef.

At that moment the back door to the loading bay burst open and two men rushed into the kitchen, dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas. Tali’s heart leapt into her mouth as she saw the glint of light on metal, and realised that both men carried sawn-off shotguns.

One of the men ran into the restaurant and the other stayed behind, priming his gun with a jarring _thunk-click_. “Everybody freeze,” he yelled, “and nobody gets hurt.”

Tali raised her hands, mirroring her colleagues, but glanced over her shoulder through the round windows. She saw the second masked man throw a bag over Aria’s head while the weaselly guy kept a lookout on the front windows.

“What are you lookin’ at, sweetcheeks?” said a gruff voice inches away from her.

Her head whipped around and she realised the first gunman was standing right in front of her. “N-n-nothing, I swear,” she stuttered, her heart almost bursting through her ribs, stomach churning and legs shaking. “I didn’t see a-anything.”

“That’s right, you didn’t,” the guy said, his grey eyes raking her up and down.

The swing doors burst open and the two masked men hustled Aria out of the back door; it was all over so quickly that Tali could almost believe she’d imagined it, if not for the thudding of her heart and trembling of her limbs.

For a long moment nobody moved, waiting to see if anything else would happen. “Should…should we call the police?” Tali ventured after a moment.

Alexei grunted. “No. Crazy man with gun wants us keep quiet, we keep quiet.”

Tali began, “But…they took - ”

“Nobody,” said a voice behind her, and she turned to see Nicos standing there. “They took nobody.”

* * *

Shepard parked by the kerb a few doors down from Apollo’s, which looked small but inviting. The front windows were strung with twinkling lights, tall potted plants stood on either side of the door, and a bright blue-and-white striped awning stretched across the whole frontage.

“Looks nice,” Kaidan commented, peering through the windshield.

“Yeah,” Shepard said, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. “Maybe you could bring Steve here sometime.”

Kaidan shifted in his seat. “Actually, I’m not going to see him again.”

“Oh? That’s too bad,” Shepard said lightly, clamping down on the smile that tried to break free.

“Yeah,” Kaidan said, then shrugged. “Another one bites the dust, I guess.”

“A guy like you won’t stay single for long,” Shepard replied unthinkingly, then realised with a jolt what he’d just said. Kaidan’s shock mirrored his own, and he quickly carried on with, “So, since we can’t call for backup it’s just you and me - we have no idea what we’re going to see when we get in there so just follow my lead. And remember - this is _my_ investigation and technically you’re not even a cop right now.”

“You might have mentioned that eight or nine times already,” Kaidan said wryly, giving Shepard an unreadable look as they got out of the car and began walking.

As they got close to the door, Shepard could make out a sign reading, _Restaurant closed for private party_. “That seems ominous,” he said. “It all looks peaceful enough from out here but all hell could be breaking loose in there for all we know.”

“I’ve got your back,” Kaidan said, and Shepard allowed himself a quick grin. Then, preparing himself, one hand hovering close to where his gun was holstered, he pulled on the door; it slammed against the lock and wouldn’t open. Shepard kept on yanking at the handle, rattling the door until someone came to answer it.

The door eventually opened, a thin-faced man in a suit standing in the gap. “Good evening, gentlemen. I’m sorry to inform you that we are closed this evening for a private function, but if you would like to book a table for dinner tomorrow - ”

“We wouldn’t,” Shepard said, flashing his badge. Chancing an outright lie he said, “We received reports of a disturbance at this address. Are you the manager here?”

The man’s brow furrowed. “Yes – Nicos Dabizas. But I’m afraid you have been misinformed, there’s been no trouble here tonight.”

“You want to do this on the doorstep, or are you going to let us in to talk about this?” Shepard asked.

“Or maybe,” Kaidan put in, “you’d prefer us to call for back-up, get a patrol car down here with the lights flashing?”

Nicos smiled, but there was murder in his eyes. “Please, come in.”

Piano music tinkled in the air, soothing and unobtrusive. There were no customers in sight but there were banners and streamers everywhere, a balloon sculpture in one corner; everything seemed calm, relaxed.

Shepard glanced around the empty room. “What exactly is this private function?”

“A birthday party, for a long-time customer,” Nicos said.

“And you’ve been closed all evening?”

“Yes, as I said,” Nicos said haughtily.

“Would you mind if I speak to some of your staff?” Shepard asked, restraining the urge to arrest the guy just to see that arrogance slip.

Nicos drew himself up tall, something close to a sneer on his face. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible, we are very busy preparing for the party. So please, if there is nothing further?”

Frustration clawed at Shepard but technically, legally, there was nothing he could do. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw Kaidan edging around the manager, mouthing the words _distract him_. Intrigued by what the other detective was planning, Shepard blurted out the first thing that came into his mind.

“Do you realise that we take wasting police time very seriously?” he said sternly, watching over the manager’s shoulder as Kaidan sauntered casually through the double doors into the kitchen. “You’d better have a good reason for getting us out here for nothing.”

Shepard stood and listened as the manager blustered and cajoled, protesting his innocence. It was almost funny watching him scramble to answer, not sure whether to play innocent or feign offence, but eventually the man realised that Kaidan wasn’t standing beside him any more.

“Where is your colleague?” Nicos asked, flushing with anger.

“Beats me,” Shepard shrugged.

“This is outrageous,” the manager sputtered, and took off towards the kitchen; with a grin, Shepard followed.

Kaidan was standing with a young brunette waitress, who was looking at him earnestly. She was just opening her mouth when Nicos walked in; Shepard could almost see the shutters come down over her face.

Kaidan glanced across at them and clenched his jaw, frustrated; to the waitress he said, “I know you’ve been told not to say anything, but you’re hampering an ongoing police investigation if you know something and don’t disclose it – that’s a criminal offence.”

“And so are trespass and harassment,” Nicos said, making no attempt to hide his anger. “Please leave now before I file a complaint with your commander.”

“Don’t worry, we’re leaving,” Kaidan said, and Shepard had never seen anything like the frosty look on his face; he could almost swear that Kaidan’s eyes sparked blue. “But don’t think that means we’re going to slink away quietly and forget about this.” He turned to look back at the waitress and said, “Remember what I said,” before walking back out through the dining area, not waiting to see if Shepard followed.

Back in the car Kaidan dropped his head back against the seat and sighed. “Well, that was a bust.”

“Not entirely,” Shepard said. “Something was definitely off, that snooty manager knew more than he was saying. Might be worth getting a warrant to search the place, use the phone tap evidence to convince the judge.”

“I don’t know if that’d turn anything up,” Kaidan said. “What we need to do is speak to the staff when the management aren’t around. None of them wanted to talk to me, they’ve obviously been warned to keep quiet about something.”

“Didn’t get anything from the waitress?” Shepard asked.

“No.” Kaidan glanced over at him. “But it felt like she wanted to tell me something.”

“I’ll find out where she lives and go talk to her,” Shepard said. Casually, he went on, “Or maybe you should go, since she seemed to trust you.”

Kaidan’s smile was immediate and genuine. “I’d appreciate that.”

Shepard started the car and pulled out into traffic. “Let’s head home, I’ll sort out the paperwork tomorrow. Feel like pizza for dinner?”

“Takeout again, Shepard – don’t you ever cook?”

“In all my acres of spare time when I’m not working or training, you mean?” Shepard asked flippantly.

“Training?” Kaidan repeated. “For what?”

“I compete in muay thai kickboxing,” Shepard said casually, feeling like he was playing a great hand in poker. “Try to enter as many tournaments as I can.”

“Yeah? You ever win?” Kaidan asked.

“Sometimes,” Shepard shrugged, playing it cool. “I held the Midwest Amateur Welterweight title for two years.”

“Really?” Kaidan asked, his thick eyebrows climbing. “Wow. That’s impressive, Shepard.”

“Yeah, it is,” Shepard said, laughing. “And I’m real humble, too.”

Kaidan laughed, deep and rumbling, and it warmed Shepard’s blood. Now that he knew Steve was out of the picture, it was going to be hard not to let his imagination run away with him.

They drove a little longer in silence. Shepard glanced over at Kaidan now and again; his head was turned towards the window but his eyes looked glazed, unfocussed.

After a while Shepard said, “Hey, Alenko – we’re almost at the pizza place, want me to stop?”

“Oh, yeah,” Kaidan said, stirring himself. “Sorry, I was just thinking about the case.”

“What specifically?” Shepard asked.

“Scumbags they may be, but those guys have thought this through,” Kaidan frowned. “It’s pretty close to the perfect crime - kidnap a crime boss, maybe even kill her, and nobody’s going to call in the police or the Feds. They get their cash and control of the gang, then walk away untouched.”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing. Seems to me that Finch is the weak link here – if we can get him to slip up, then we’ll know who killed Williams,” Shepard said, pulling into the parking lot at the back of his favourite pizza place. “I’ll need Anderson’s help, though.”

“Sounds like you have a plan,” Kaidan said, twisting to face him.

“Could be,” Shepard grinned. “You wanna eat here or take dinner home?”

Kaidan’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re talking about pizza now? Aren’t you going to tell me what your plan is?”

Shepard turned a cool look on him. “You’re still a person of interest in this case, technically speaking. You shouldn’t even be involved with any of this. So no, I’m not going to tell you what my plan is.”

Kaidan just looked at him, still and silent; Shepard couldn’t read the odd expression on his face. Then Kaidan said, “Person of interest, huh?”, and his dusky voice curled like smoke in the air.

Shepard’s pulse skipped. “Yeah,” he said evenly. “You are.”

“Then I guess maybe we should get dinner to go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kaidan opens up to Shepard, and Krios uncovers some disturbing new evidence...


	11. Coming to Light

Kaidan leaned forward on the sofa, took another slice of pizza from the box on the coffee table, and settled back against the dark grey cushions. Shepard was at the other end of the sofa, watching the cheesy action film playing quietly in the background. There was plenty of empty air between them, but Kaidan was still hyperaware of the other man.

Shepard glanced over. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah,” Kaidan said. “Thanks again for letting me stay here.”

Shepard smiled, nodded. “Sorry about the couch, it’s a little lumpy but I don’t have a spare room.”

“It’s fine,” Kaidan said. “Really, I appreciate it, lumps and all.” 

They ate in silence for a while before Kaidan said, “This movie isn’t working. I still can’t stop thinking about Saren and Finch and T’Loak and whatever the hell they’re planning.” He sighed, rubbing firm circles over his temple with his fingertips. “My head’s spinning with it all.”

Shepard glanced over. “Headache?”

“Yeah.”

Shepard stood and went to the kitchen; he came back with water and painkillers, which he handed to Kaidan. “Let’s talk about something else,” he said, sitting sideways to face Kaidan. “How come you’re not seeing Steve any more?”

Kaidan laughed, incredulous. “Wow. You sure don’t pull any punches.”

Shepard grinned. “If you don’t ask questions, you don’t get answers. Feel free to tell me to shut the hell up.”

Kaidan swallowed the pills and looked over at Shepard, weighing up how much to say. Shepard looked steadily back at him, patient and calm. He was a good guy, Kaidan had come to realise, and he felt like he could trust him.

“I was seeing someone before Steve, someone totally and completely wrong for me,” Kaidan began with a wry chuckle. 

“James Vega,” Shepard stated.

Kaidan shook his head, but he was smiling. “I shouldn’t really be surprised that you knew that, should I?”

“Like you said, I’m a good detective,” Shepard said lightly. 

“Yeah. I thought I was, too, but somehow I missed all the clues that Steve was the guy James cheated with.”

“Oh, ouch,” Shepard said with a wince. “No wonder you ended things.”

“Right?” Kaidan said, turning sideways, mirroring Shepard. “I’ve been wondering if I overreacted.”

“No way,” Shepard said firmly. “I’d’ve done the exact same thing. That situation was always going to blow up in your face somewhere along the line.”

“Yeah. You’re right. Thanks,” Kaidan said, grateful for Shepard’s easy, non-judgemental manner. “I mean, it’s not like my heart got broken - I knew all along that it wouldn’t last with James, but I wasn’t in a good place when I met him and he was great for my ego - right up until he cheated, just like my ex-wife did.” He glanced up at Shepard. “But then, you probably know all about that too.”

“No,” Shepard said, finishing his beer and setting down the bottle. “I mean, I saw some facts on a piece of paper about a divorce and I interviewed Rahna to close off that line of inquiry, but I don’t know anything about what you went through.”

Kaidan liked that answer; after his divorce so many people had given him well-meaning advice, told him that they ‘knew how he felt’, that after a while he was ready to scream. 

After a minute of silence Shepard asked, “D’you think you’d get back with Rahna if you could? If she wanted to, I mean.”

Kaidan was surprised by the question, but took a moment to think about it. Eventually he said, “No. Even without Gregory in the picture, we were self-destructing almost from the start. Rahna was my college sweetheart and we got married right after graduating, but it was a mistake. We were too young, too different; couldn’t tell romance from real love, I guess.” He paused, picking at the label on his beer. “When she cheated, it made me feel so stupid, so worthless. Like I wasn’t enough for her – not attractive enough, not exciting enough, not committed enough…just not enough on any level. I don’t think I can ever really forgive her for that. And then when James cheated too…it didn’t exactly do wonders for my confidence.”

“I can imagine,” Shepard said. “But that’s not about you – you know that, right?”

“How do you mean?” Kaidan asked, intrigued.

“It’s just that I’ve met Vega, remember? Guys like him don’t know how to be faithful, it’s like it’s in their DNA or something. Whoever he’s with, he’s going to cheat,” Shepard shrugged. He seemed nonchalant, but Kaidan was picking up something edgy in his body language. “And as for Rahna…I don’t know what was going on with her, but I can’t imagine you not being good enough for anybody.”

Kaidan’s gut clenched, heat flaring. “Oh yeah?” he asked, voice catching.

“Yeah,” Shepard said simply; there was something inviting in his gaze that stirred Kaidan on a deep level. “For what it’s worth, both James and Rahna said good things about you. In fact, I got the feeling they both regretted letting you get away.”

“Really? That’s…that’s good to know,” Kaidan said, wanting to hear more but also desperate to deflect. “Did you…ah, did you meet Gregory?” he asked, unable to keep the derision from his tone. 

“Yeah, I interviewed him briefly,” Shepard said. “Can’t say I liked the guy, and his secretary wasn’t the most complimentary about him when she confirmed his alibi, either.”

“He’s kind of a jackass,” Kaidan agreed. “But if he makes Rahna happy, then…I guess he can’t be all bad.”

“Hmm,” Shepard said, with a meaningful raise of his eyebrows, and Kaidan laughed. “Let’s just say I could definitely see why you decked the guy.”

Kaidan’s stomach went cold and he clenched his jaw, fists tightening in his lap. 

“Fuck,” Shepard said baldly. “Sorry, man - that was a stupid thing to say.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kaidan said, hating how much it bothered him that Shepard knew that about him.

“Kaidan, look at me,” Shepard said, leaning closer, catching his eye. “I’m not judging you, okay? In your shoes, I’d’ve done the same thing, no question.”

“I’m not proud of it,” Kaidan said quietly.

“I know,” Shepard said, placing one hand on Kaidan’s thigh and squeezing gently. 

Kaidan looked down at Shepard’s hand on his leg, swallowing against the wave of emotion rising up in his chest. “I was in a pretty dark place back then, and I was so ashamed of myself for losing control like that. And do you know how humiliating it is to have your colleagues show up at the worst moment of your life?” he said, his voice taking on heat as the memories came rushing back. “To have to look them in the eye and tell them how you smashed your wife’s lover’s face in because you can’t control your own damn emotions?”

“Hey, give yourself a break,” Shepard said, withdrawing his hand. “Nobody I spoke to at the precinct had anything but good things to say about you.” 

Kaidan opened his mouth to reply, but paused when Shepard’s eyes lost focus and a frown began to form. 

“When I read the report about the incident with Reynolds, I don’t recall seeing the name of a detective at the scene,” Shepard said after a moment, glancing at Kaidan. “In a case where serious injury occurs there should have been a detective assigned to investigate, even if no charges were brought. At the time I put it down as an oversight, but now I’m not so sure. Do you know who the investigating officer was?”

“No,” Kaidan said, shaking his head. “I know someone came to the house, but it was one of the uniforms who took my statement and I wasn’t really that aware of what was going on. Nobody else questioned me, at the time or later.” 

“Okay. Sorry to ask,” Shepard said with a quick smile. “It’s just that anomalies like that make my skin itch, y’know?”

“Yeah, I do,” Kaidan said. “I’m glad you’re the one investigating this, Shepard.”

Shepard’s eyes changed then, darkening, focusing on his mouth. “Me too,” he said, a huskiness in his voice. “More and more, actually.”

“Shepard,” Kaidan began, then tailed off uncertainly. This felt like a loaded moment, a crossroads where anything could happen; he wanted Shepard to kiss him, even while he prayed that he wouldn’t.

Shepard cleared his throat, shaking his head a little. “Well, now that I’ve succeeded in making everything awkward as hell, I’m going to turn in,” he said, then stood and began clearing the coffee table. “Go ahead and use the bathroom, I’ll get you some pillows and blankets.”

“Okay, thanks,” Kaidan said.

With the bathroom door shut and locked, Kaidan closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the cool tiled wall. He clenched his jaw, breathing deeply through his nose. Everything in him was crying out to go back to Shepard; to kiss him, touch his chest and his arms and his ass and see where it went. 

But he didn’t; he held back. Even if he was off the hook for Williams’s murder, until the case was officially closed he couldn’t afford to jeopardise it any more than he already had. And if what he thought he felt for Shepard was real, then he could wait – or at least, he hoped he could.

*

Shepard was jolted from his thoughts, gaze locked on the closed bathroom door, when his work cell phone rang. “John Shepard.”

“This is Detective Krios,” said a rumbling voice down the line. “I’m sorry to call so late but we’ve uncovered some evidence that I believe may be pertinent to your investigation into Kaidan Alenko.”

“Great, I appreciate you calling,” Shepard said, sitting on the sofa and grabbing a notepad from the coffee table.

“It’s the least I can do after you kept me in the loop about the suspected kidnap scheme, though the party line from Omega is that she’s just out of town on business,” Krios said. “Our forensic accountant has been going through Alenko’s accounts searching for any mob connection. It’s something we often do when an individual is targeted this way; money is the root of all kinds of trouble.”

“Okay,” Shepard said, a queasy feeling in his guts. “What did you find?”

“A dummy corporation named Alliance Exports Incorporated, registered in the Cayman Islands with an empty bank account. The CEO is one Kaidan Artem Alenko.”

“What?” Shepard breathed, disbelief warring with nausea as his gaze flicked back to the bathroom door. “That can’t be right – are you sure?”

“Quite sure,” Krios said. “I checked it myself – I’m looking at a copy of the company registration form right now, and it has Alenko’s signature on it.”

“Have you done a handwriting analysis?” Shepard asked.

“Not yet, I’ll have it looked at by the QDE team first thing tomorrow,” Krios said. “But at a cursory glance it appears to match the signature we have on file. My theory is that Alenko established this dummy company in order to funnel the funds from Aria’s ransom. He, Saren and Finch must have concocted this whole thing together, but when he killed Agent Williams they turned on him and set the bomb to cover their tracks.”

“No, Kaidan wouldn’t - ” Shepard began, but caught himself and said, “That doesn’t make sense – why would he have reported Saren and Vyrnnus to Williams if he was in cahoots with them all along?”

“To throw suspicion off himself,” Krios said calmly. “He may have killed Williams to protect himself when she was getting too close to the truth, though I believe that it happened in the heat of the moment.” 

“I haven’t established yet who the murderer is,” Shepard said, irritation swelling. “Thank you for sharing your findings, I’ll follow it up with Detective Alenko.”

“Keep me informed,” Krios said, a warning note in his tone. “I have every right to arrest and interrogate him myself, but as a courtesy I’m keeping back from your investigation.”

“Noted,” Shepard said, his voice hard and cold, “but since a homicide enquiry takes precedence over an attempted murder, this evidence is under my authority anyway.”

“Unless I decide that a bombing on domestic soil is part of a terrorist threat, in which case I can take over the case and call in the Feds,” Krios said, every bit as cold. “I don’t like to play games, Shepard, but when I do, I play to win.”

Shepard ended the call before he could say anything he’d regret, just as Kaidan emerged from the bathroom.

“Everything okay?” Kaidan asked, watching Shepard throw his phone down on the table. 

“Not really,” Shepard said, scrubbing a hand across his scalp. “That was Detective Krios, he found some evidence that…” He tailed off, taking in the genuine concern on Kaidan’s face. “Do you have any business interests in the Caymans?”

“What? No!” Kaidan said with a disbelieving chuckle. “If only I had the money.” Then the smile slipped into a frown. “Why would you ask me that?”

“They found a dummy company over there with your name and signature on the registration,” Shepard said. “Krios thinks you intended to use it to launder the ransom money, that you’re working with Saren.”

Kaidan went white, eyes wide as saucers. “No, they…that can’t be right,” he said. “I don’t know anything about that.”

“I believe you,” Shepard said, meaning it. “But that means someone set you up for this. Can you think who it could be – would Saren or Vyrnnus have the knowledge or expertise?”

“No…at least, I don’t think so,” Kaidan said, beginning to pace. 

“Then it could have been someone within Omega, maybe Finch had one of their pet accountants set this up,” Shepard said. “Krios is going to keep investigating - if it was them he’ll figure it out. And you can bet your ass I’ll be looking into it, too.”

“Fuck, Shepard …why are they doing this to me?” Kaidan asked plaintively. “What the hell am I going to do?”

Shepard moved closer, put a hand on Kaidan’s shoulder. “I’m right here,” he said, pitching his voice low. “I’m on your side, Kaidan.”

Kaidan looked up at him, his brows pinched in the middle, and nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

Shepard dropped his hand as Kaidan moved to sit on the sofa, snagging his half-empty beer bottle and downing the contents. Shepard sat beside him, gave him a minute to breathe, then asked, “Can you think of anyone who’d have a grudge who’d also have the financial background to pull off something like this – maybe someone you’ve arrested recently?”

“Um, I can’t…I don’t recall arresting anyone lately with that skill set,” Kaidan said, sitting back heavily. “And it would have to be someone Saren would trust to let in on the deal. I can’t think of anyone who’d fit the bill.”

“Okay,” Shepard said, sitting back, his shoulder brushing Kaidan’s. “That’s okay, it’s late and we’re both tired. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”

“What if we don’t?” Kaidan asked, and when he turned his head Shepard saw tears glinting in his dark eyes. “What if I go to prison for this?”

“You won’t,” Shepard said fiercely. “I won’t let that happen.” 

“Thanks, Shepard,” Kaidan said quietly, “for believing in me so much.”

“Hey, I don’t usually put this much faith in people,” Shepard said, reaching out to grip Kaidan’s hand. “Which I guess makes you pretty special.” 

Kaidan’s smile made Shepard want to kiss him breathless; instead he went to bed and lay awake in the dark for a long time, warm brown eyes lingering in his mind until sleep finally overtook him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kaidan talks to Tali, and Shepard uncovers some shocking new evidence...


	12. Truth and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter, I lost someone very close to me a couple of weeks back and writing had to take a back seat for a while. I'm hoping to be able to post once a week again from now on, but please bear with me if that doesn't quite work out!

Shepard approached the desk clerk in the records department, who looked up from her computer and smiled. “May I help you?”

“I need to see an arrest record from March of last year,” Shepard said, sliding his badge across the counter. “I viewed the electronic version but it was incomplete, so I want to check the original file.” 

“Alright,” she said, typing in his badge number to confirm his access permissions before handing the badge back. “What do you need, Detective Shepard?”

Shepard gave her the file number for the report on the fight between Kaidan and Gregory at the Alenko household. The clerk typed the number in, and as the file name came up on the screen a look of shock flitted across her face; she glanced reflexively at Shepard, who felt that tingling sense of foreboding.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

“N-no,” she said, going from pale to flushed in a second. “N-not a thing.”

Shepard leaned his elbows on the counter, hands folded together. “Look- ” He paused, glancing at the name plate on her desk, “Maya, I’ve been a detective a long time, and a suspicious asshole even longer than that. When that report came up, you looked like you wanted to puke; so I’m asking you again – something wrong?”

Maya gaped at him for a moment, then glanced around and said in a low, urgent tone, “I swear I didn’t mean to mess anything up. Detective Saren said it’d be fine, that nobody would even notice.”

Shepard straightened, his pulse leaping. “Tell me exactly what you did, and what he said.”

Maya looked ready to cry but she nodded and stood, gesturing for him to follow her into the stacks. She walked a short way and stopped, turning back to him, wringing her hands. “About a month ago, Detective Saren came down here to see me. He asked me to doctor a report on the system, the one you were just asking about. He said that it wouldn’t make any difference since it wasn’t an ongoing case, and that it wouldn’t affect any other cases.”

“What did he ask you to change?” Shepard asked.

“He just asked me to take out the name of one of the investigating officers…um, it was an unusual name…” She paused, bit her lip as she thought, then exclaimed, “Oh, um, it was Vyrnnus – Michael Vyrnnus.”

Shepard took a deep, sharp breath in. “Mike Vyrnnus attended that call?” he asked.

“Yes,” Maya nodded, tears standing in her eyes. 

“Fuck,” Shepard breathed. If Vyrnnus was the detective at the scene, he would have met Gregory Reynolds – an investment banker with a serious grudge against Kaidan. Shepard’s pulse skipped; he’d bet his last cent that Reynolds had set up the dummy account, though whether willingly or through coercion remained to be seen.

“I’m so sorry,” Maya sniffled, snapping him back to the moment. “I swear I wouldn’t have changed it if I’d known it would cause any trouble.”

“But why do it in the first place?” Shepard asked. “You must know that tampering with police files is a criminal offence?”

Maya nodded, and a tear spilled over. “Yes. But Detective Saren said he…” She paused, sighed and said, “About eight months ago he arrested my brother for carrying some weed, said he had too much on him for it to be for personal use. Martin had never been in trouble before, and Saren said he’d drop the case if I agreed to owe him a favour.”

“Son of a bitch,” Shepard swore, gritting his teeth. “But you still should have told someone – possession of marijuana with intent to supply doesn’t usually come with jail time, especially for a first offence.”

“I know I should have reported it,” Maya said, wiping her face with her sleeve. “But I was just so worried for Martin – he’d just got a scholarship to Duke, I didn’t want this to ruin his future. I figured it was only a small change to a closed file, so it wouldn’t do any harm.”

Shepard just barely managed to bite off what he wanted to say. “I understand that,” he said instead, “but I can’t overlook this.”

Maya nodded, lifting her chin. “I know. I am sorry, even if it doesn’t make a difference.”

Shepard didn’t respond to that. “Did you change anything else?”

“No, that was all,” Maya said. “Will I…am I going to be in a lot of trouble?”

“I’ll make sure the commander knows you cooperated fully,” Shepard said, avoiding the question. “I don’t know if it’ll help, but it’s the best I can do.”

“Right. Thank you,” Maya said. 

Shepard felt a little guilty, but Maya had made her choice. His more pressing concern was getting to the bottom of the mess that Kaidan had been dragged into.

As he walked back to his car, Shepard took out his cell phone and made a call. “Kaidan? It’s Shepard. Listen, do you have a direct number for Commander Anderson? I need to arrange a meeting but I don’t want to go through official channels...”

*

Kaidan knocked at the door of apartment 218 Rannoch House, glancing up and down the thickly-carpeted hallway as he waited. It was a nice building, clean and well-decorated if a little shabby in places. The smell of curry hung heavy in the air, reminding Kaidan suddenly that he hadn’t eaten that morning.

He was just about to knock again when the door opened a few inches, a chain hanging in the open space. A woman’s face appeared in the gap and he recognised the waitress from Apollo’s.

“Tali Rayya?” he asked, smiling. “I’m Detective Kaidan Alenko, we met at your workplace last night.”

“I remember,” she said without returning his smile. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the restaurant,” he said, keeping his tone conciliatory. “Can I come in?”

“I’m busy,” Tali said, abrupt but also anxious.

“It won’t take long,” Kaidan said, scenting trouble. “Please?”

“I can’t, I…I’m about to go out,” Tali said, but her voice quavered as she turned her face away and he saw a bruise high up on her hairline.

Kaidan’s jaw tightened against a wave of anger. “Did someone assault you, Miss Rayya? Have you been threatened?”

Tali looked at him then, her brows pinched together, her mouth moving but no words coming out. Then she bit her lip and nodded, tears trembling in her brown eyes.

“Please, can I come in?” Kaidan asked again.

Tali hesitated, sizing him up; then she shut the door and he heard the chain sliding back. When the door opened again she said, “Quick, I don’t want anyone to know you’re here.”

He hurried inside and waited for her to lock the door. Her movements were quick and nervy and she looked out through the spyhole before turning to him, tucking her hands into the sleeves of her oversized purple sweater and wrapping her arms around herself.

“Can you tell me who hurt you?” Kaidan asked.

“No,” Tali said, shaking her head jerkily. “I’m not saying anything that’ll get me into more trouble.”

“I understand how you feel, but you can’t let them get away with this,” Kaidan said, trying to be firm but kind at the same time. “Was it someone you recognised, or someone new?”

“I’m not saying anything,” Tali persisted.

Kaidan sighed, exasperated. “Well then, can you tell me about what happened last night at the restaurant?”

“Nothing happened,” Tali said, her jaw set stubbornly. 

Kaidan sighed, irritation beginning to stir. “Okay, I’m going to tell you what I think happened. I think that Aria T’Loak was kidnapped from Apollo’s last night, and that your manager and her crew were in on it. I think that you witnessed it happen, that you can give me crucial information about the kidnappers, and that you’ve been threatened to keep quiet. Without your testimony I have nothing to go on, so I need you to be brave and talk to me.”

“Brave?” Tali repeated, a spark of anger in her eyes. “Don’t you come in here with your badge to protect you and talk to me about being brave. I’m just trying to survive, okay? I don’t want to get caught up in whatever it is you’re talking about.”

“You’re already caught up in it,” Kaidan said firmly. “You think they’ll just leave you alone now, that a bruise and a warning is the end of it? But If you’re willing to testify, I can make sure you’re protected. I can recommend you for the witness protection programme, get you far away from here.”

“I can’t,” Tali said stubbornly, scrubbing away a tear that spilled over. “And why should I care, anyway? Everyone knows Aria’s a criminal, that half the junkies who die around here got their gear from her in the first place. So what if someone did kidnap her? Why the hell should I put myself on the line for that bitch?”

“Look, I’m going to be honest with you,” Kaidan retorted, frustration colouring his tone. “A police officer has been murdered, my best friend was almost killed by the mob, someone is doing their best to destroy my life, and I’m pretty certain that whoever kidnapped Aria is behind it all. So I’m asking you again – are you prepared to testify against these bastards, or are you going to scurry off into hiding and let them carry on doing whatever the hell they want with impunity?”

Tali stared back at him, eyes wide at his outburst. Kaidan took a deep breath, let it out slowly, but said nothing; waiting.

Eventually, in a small voice, Tali asked, “Your friend really got hurt?”

“Yeah,” Kaidan said, scrubbing a hand over his brow as he felt a headache stirring. “She was at my place and set off a bomb that had been set to take me out.”

“Shit,” Tali said, brow furrowing. “I’m sorry. That sucks.”

“Yeah, it does,” Kaidan said, sensing an opening. “Her name is Liara and she’s such a good person, the best friend I ever had; she’s an ER doctor, spends her whole life trying to help people. So you see why I’m so eager to catch these guys?”

Tali nodded, rolling her lips inwards to bite them nervously. “Okay,” she said after a long minute. “I’ll tell you what I know. But you have to do what you said – I need to know you’ll protect me.”

“I will,” Kaidan said, taking a step closer. “I’ll get on it today, you have my word.” Although he was suspended, he knew that Shepard would be able to arrange the protection she needed.

Tali nodded and began picking at a loose thread in one of her cuffs. “You’re right about Aria,” she said. “Two guys came into the restaurant last night and took her. I didn’t see their faces, they had ski masks on, but they were both carrying guns…um, I think they were shotguns. One of them grabbed Aria while the other stayed with us in the kitchen.”

“And you didn’t see anything of their features?”

“No, but I noticed that they guy in the kitchen had grey eyes. Oh, and he was about my height, I guess – maybe 5-10?”

“That’s great, really helpful,” Kaidan said reassuringly. “Did you notice anything else that could help identify him?”

“Not really, just…well, it sounds dumb to say it out loud but he was pretty scuzzy,” she said with a shudder.

“Scuzzy?” Kaidan repeated.

“Yeah, y’know – he was checking me out really obviously,” Tali said. “Oh, and he called me ‘sweetcheeks’ – can you believe that?”

Kaidan shivered; that was one of Vyrnnus’s favourite endearments for the women around the precinct, but that didn’t mean the masked man was him. “And you were told by your manager to keep quiet about all this?” he asked.

“Yeah. It wasn’t him who came around today, though,” Tali said, shoulders hunching defensively as she remembered it. “It was some guy I’d never seen before. He said he was a cop, but when he got in here he grabbed me and told me to keep quiet. He said - ” Tali paused, taking a shuddering breath as more tears spilled over.

Kaidan glanced around, spotted a box of Kleenex and handed it to her. “Here. Take your time.”

Tali took a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, smudging her eyeliner into black shadows. “Thanks. He, uh, he told me I had one chance to leave town and forget about it all. He told me he had connections, that he’d know if I talked to anyone, and that he’d come after me and then my family. Then he said he was going to prove how serious he was, and that’s when he hit me.” She unconsciously reached up to touch her bruised face, wincing at the contact.

Rage swam up in Kaidan’s chest, but outwardly he kept calm. “Can you tell me what this guy looked like?”

Tali sniffled, then blew her nose. “He was about your height, I think…older than you, brown hair, sort of average build…nothing special, y’know?”

“Alright. You said he claimed to be a cop - did he show you any ID?” Kaidan asked.

“He flashed a badge but too quickly for me to catch any details,” Tali said, sniffing again. “It looked real, though.”

Kaidan took out his phone and flicked through to his surveillance photos of Saren and Vyrnnus. “Was it one of these two?” he asked, holding out his phone.

“Um…it could be that guy,” Tali said, pointing to Saren. “The picture’s kinda blurry but…yeah, I think it was him.”

“You don’t know how much help that is,” Kaidan told her, a fierce elation firing his blood. “Would you be willing to testify to that, make a statement?”

Tali nodded, hugging herself again.

“Thank you, Miss Rayya,” Kaidan said sincerely. “You may have just given me what I need to stop these guys for good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Anderson gets involved, Shepard gets rebellious and Kaidan gets news about Liara.


	13. Coming to a Head

Vyrnnus rolled down his car window, watching Kaidan’s car disappear down the quiet residential street away from Tali’s apartment building. “What the hell was Alenko doing here? I thought Nicos said it was Shepard who came to the restaurant?”

Saren nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah. He did.”

"I guess Alenko must have someone feeding him information,” Vyrnnus speculated, spitting out his gum onto the sidewalk.

“Do you have to do that?” Saren asked irritably. When Vyrnnus just grinned, Saren swallowed his frustration and said, “That idiot Moreau probably told him. Shoulda known the Boy Scout wouldn’t be able to resist sticking his nose into it.”

Vyrnnus laughed, cruel and harsh. “Yeah. Thinks he’s so much smarter than everyone else. Huh, we’ll show him though, right?”

Saren turned his head, shooting Vyrnnus a scathing look. “Do you have to be such a fucking cliché?”

“ _What_ did you just say to me?” Vyrnnus bristled, sitting up straighter.

“Oh, calm down,” Saren said, rolling his shoulders. “This isn’t about you, or me; this is about a million bucks each. I don’t care if you like me or not – I just care about making sure this all comes off.”

“And seeing Alenko go down,” Vyrnnus added, something vicious in his tone.

"How come you hate the guy so much?” Saren asked, eyes narrowing. “I mean, I get how the holier-than-thou attitude could get under your skin, but you really can’t stand him.”

“I don’t like queers,” Vyrnnus said baldly. “It ain’t natural, man.”

Saren gave a cold chuckle. “Right. Fair enough.”

“So what now?” Vyrnnus asked. “We need to change the plan, since Shepard didn’t speak to that fine piece of ass up there.”

“You know, this may actually work in our favour,” Saren said with a slow smile.

“Yeah? How come?” Vyrnnus asked.

“I’ll explain it to you later, but first I need to make a call,” Saren said, pulling out his personal cell phone.

_“Finch here, go.”_

“Hello, Edward,” said Saren. “It’s me.”

_“Oh, yeah, right. Hey.”_

“We’re on for today,” Saren said. “Bring the ransom to the bookstore at 5pm, and make sure you’re followed.”

_“Got it. See you then.”_

“And now,” Saren grinned, “it’s time to get Alenko onto the hook.”

* * *

Shepard sipped his coffee as Anderson joined him at the small round table tucked at the back of a Starbucks far from either cop’s precinct. He glanced around at the crowd but nobody was looking twice at them; the place was rammed with people on their lunchbreaks getting their caffeine fix while they could, each too absorbed in their own lives to be paying attention to anyone else. Shepard had swapped his CPD windbreaker for a leather jacket and Anderson’s coat and scarf covered his commander’s uniform; as far as anyone was concerned, they were just two more co-workers enjoying a coffee break.

“Thanks for coming,” Shepard said, leaning his elbows on the table.

“Care to tell me why I’m here?” Anderson asked.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” Shepard said. “I believe that Detective Alenko is being framed by two dirty cops in your precinct, and I’m very close to proving it.”

“I see,” Anderson said neutrally. “Can I ask why the cloak and dagger routine rather than just meeting in my office?”

“Frankly, sir, I don’t know how much reach those cops have within the force,” Shepard said. “I can’t risk tipping them off that I know anything.”

“Alright, Detective, I’m listening,” said Anderson, inscrutable.

“You know that Agent Williams was investigating Jim Saren and Mike Vyrnnus for corruption and taking bribes?” Shepard asked, and Anderson nodded. “I have reason to believe that they’re also involved in kidnapping, blackmail and evidence tampering, not to mention a score of other offences, and that they’re setting up Alenko to take the fall.”

There was a pause. “I’ll need to see your evidence,” Anderson said eventually.

Shepard nodded and handed Anderson a folder. “Inside here are copies of everything I’ve found, plus details of an investigation by a Detective Krios at the North precinct.”

Anderson opened the folder and began leafing through the pages. “I’ll have a coffee while I’m reading,” he said without looking up. “Black, no sugar, and if I see foam or syrup anywhere near my cup, I’m leaving.”

Shepard chuckled and stood; while he queued and ordered he watched Anderson surreptitiously. The commander’s expression transitioned from curious to stern to downright stony the further he went, which Shepard took as a good sign. By the time Shepard was sitting back at the table, Anderson was clearly barely containing his anger.

“This is some shocking evidence,” Anderson said. “You really believe Gregory Reynolds is working with Saren and Vyrnnus to frame Alenko?”

“I do,” Shepard nodded. “I’m seeing Judge Hackett after this  to get a warrant to search his office and home for evidence.”

“You’re sure you have enough to convince the judge?” Anderson asked.

“I can be very persuasive,” Shepard said grimly.

“Now _that_ I can believe,” Anderson said, his mouth quirking in a quick smile. He took a sip of coffee, watching Shepard closely. “It sounds like you have everything lined up to start making some arrests pretty soon. Lucky for Alenko it was you assigned to his case; a lot of detectives I’ve known wouldn’t have been this thorough.”

“I believe in his innocence,” Shepard shrugged, turning his coffee cup on the table. “Dirty cops are the lowest form of scum, in my mind; I’m looking forward to seeing Saren fall.”

“And I’ll be right there looking over your shoulder,” Anderson said, nodding once in acknowledgement.

“I should go, I’m due at Hackett’s chambers,” Shepard said, standing. “I appreciate you meeting me like this.”

“Thanks for keeping me informed,” Anderson said, standing and shaking Shepard’s hand. “Good luck with the judge; if there’s anything I can do, just call me.”

Outside the wind was bitter, the first hint of autumn chill in the air, but Shepard barely felt it. His body thrummed with the rush of closing in on an arrest, the anticipation and excitement of having a criminal in his sights.

And the fact that he was helping Kaidan in the process made it just that little bit sweeter.

* * *

Kaidan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for Shepard to answer his cell phone. When it went to voicemail again, he rolled his eyes and said, “Shepard, it’s Kaidan – I need you to call me as soon as you can.” Then he hung up, not wanting to give details about Tali’s statement just in case someone else got the message before Shepard. He knew he was probably being paranoid, overinflating how much power and influence Saren had, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.

Almost immediately his phone rang, and Kaidan answered without checking the screen. “Finally – I’ve been trying to call you for the last hour.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve been a little busy,” came a croaky, amused voice down the line.

“Liara?” Kaidan said disbelievingly, sitting up straight in his seat.

“The one and only,” Liara said. Her voice was weak and raspy, but it was just about the best thing he’d ever heard.

“It’s…wow, it’s so good to hear from you,” Kaidan said, a grin splitting his face. “How are you feeling?”

“Like every hangover I’ve ever had has come back to visit all at once,” Liara said. “But given what could have happened, I’m doing pretty well.”

“That’s great,” Kaidan said sincerely. “God, it’s good to hear your voice.”

“Yes. You too,” Liara said, and he could hear her smile. “So, um, Nurse Donnelly is glaring at me right now so I can’t talk for long - I had to bully her into letting me call you so I don’t think she’s very pleased with me.”

Kaidan laughed, a little of the burden lifting from his shoulders. “I appreciate your efforts,” he said. “Are you allowed visitors?”

“From tomorrow,” Liara said, coughing suddenly. When the bout of coughing subsided she rasped, “Sorry, I’m still a little dried out.”

“Liara, don’t you dare apologise to me,” Kaidan said.

Before he could go on, Liara interrupted with, “And don’t _you_ dare start with the guilt trip, Kaidan. What happened to me isn’t your fault, and I’m not well enough to argue about it, so you’ll just have to agree with me. Got it?”

Kaidan smiled. “Yeah. Got it.”

“Good. So I’ll see you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Of course, as soon as they’ll let me in I’ll be there,” Kaidan said.

“And how are you – are things any better?” she asked.

“I’m doing okay,” Kaidan hedged. “Don’t worry about me, just focus on getting well.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. I love you, Liara.”

“I love you too.”

Kaidan hung up and stared at his phone for a moment, caught between joy and sadness. He was thrilled that Liara was awake, but it reminded him exactly what had happened to her and why. A new wave of determination swept through him; he knew that bringing Saren down wouldn’t erase Liara’s trauma, but it would make Kaidan feel a whole hell of a lot better.

When Kaidan’s phone buzzed again he assumed it was Liara. Instead, it was a text message from an unknown number.

_This is Tali Rayya – I just saw him going into a closed-down Barnes & Noble on Palaven Avenue. _

Kaidan’s pulse leapt.

_K: Saw who, the cop who threatened you?_

_T: Yes._

_K: Did he see you?_

_T: No. I’m in a coffee shop across the street. Should I call the cops?_

_K: No, I don’t know for sure who he’s working with. I’ll check it out, you go home & don’t take any risks. _

_T: Okay. Good luck._

Kaidan dialled Shepard’s number, annoyed but unsurprised when it went to voicemail. He should wait and speak to Shepard about Tali’s tip; it was his investigation and Kaidan shouldn’t really be getting involved. On the other hand, if he waited too long then Saren might be gone before they ever got near the place.

He chewed his lip, pondering, before calling Anderson’s cell phone. When the commander answered, Kaidan said, “Commander? It’s Kaidan Alenko.”

“Oh. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you,” Anderson said.

“I need to be frank with you,” Kaidan said. “Has Detective Shepard explained to you his suspicions about Jim Saren and Aria T’Loak?”

Kaidan could almost hear Anderson’s frown. “Why do you ask?”

“Because a reliable source just called to say they saw Saren entering an empty Barnes & Noble downtown,” Kaidan said. “It could be where they’re holding T’Loak but I can’t get a hold of Detective Shepard to let him know. I can’t exactly call in back-up and I don’t know who I can trust, so I’m calling you.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence,” Anderson said, and Kaidan wasn’t sure if he detected a sardonic note in his voice. “I might ask how you know about any of this, but I suspect Shepard has been keeping you in the loop.”

“He’s behaved professionally throughout,” Kaidan assured him hastily.

“That remains to be seen,” Anderson said. “But for now I’ll check this out – you stay right where you are.”

“But I-”

“Detective Alenko, don’t you think you’re in enough trouble?” Anderson asked sternly.

“I’m two minutes away, I can get there much quicker than a unit from the precinct,” Kaidan protested. “I may not have my badge right now but I’m still a cop; I’ll hang back and observe until backup gets there. But if we wait around, Saren might have time to cover his tracks and get out of there.”

There was silence for a few seconds before Anderson said, “Fine. But recon only, Alenko – no heroics, understood?”

“Absolutely, Commander,” Kaidan said.

It was a good thing Anderson couldn’t see the look on his face as he said it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me, I really do appreciate every reader and treasure every comment.


	14. Caught

Shepard strode through the reception of Massani Solus Investment Group with a squad of police officers behind him and a fierce anticipation burning through his veins. The reception area was plush and spotless, black leather sofas clustered around glass-and-mahogany coffee tables with tasteful, bland art hanging on the walls. One whole wall was floor to ceiling windows, showing off the magnificent view over downtown Chicago; the whole place made Shepard itch to get his dirtiest boots on and mess up the cream carpets.

The perfectly-groomed receptionist’s eyes widened when she saw the group of officers approaching her. “Welcome to Massani Solus,” she said nervously, “how may I direct you today?”

Shepard flashed his badge. “Detective John Shepard, Chicago PD. We’re here for Gregory Reynolds.”

“Mr Reynolds is in his office, second on the left,” she said.

“I remember,” Shepard said dryly. “Don’t bother calling ahead; it’ll be a nice surprise for him.”

Reynolds’s PA was at her desk, and her reflexive smile slipped into shock when she saw who was approaching. “Good morning, Detective, good to see you again. Can I help you with something?”

“No thanks,” Shepard said, walking into the office behind her without pausing or knocking.

Gregory Reynolds was sitting at his desk, a huge stretch of polished mahogany with several antique-looking globes sitting along its edge. More globes lined his windowsill, and there was a framed world map on the wall that was clearly a couple of hundred years old. Shepard hadn’t been impressed a week ago by the show of opulence, and he still wasn’t impressed now.

Even less impressive was the man behind the desk; he was handsome in a bland, Sears-catalogue-model sort of way, his stocky frame starting to run to chubby. His navy-blue suit looked expensive but didn’t fit all that well, and he quickly covered up a look of fear with an attempt at outrage. “How dare you-” he began, but Shepard cut him off.

“I have a warrant here to search your office for evidence relating to attempted corporate fraud and perverting the course of justice,” Shepard said, holding out the warrant. “Another team is at your house right now.”

“This is…outrageous,” Reynolds said, but the air seemed to go out of him as he scanned over the document and his sentence tailed off into a dismal silence.

“Let’s talk over here,” Shepard said, leading him over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a beautiful fall day, the sun glinting off the skyscrapers and the sky clear and blue, but Reynolds was oblivious to it. His shoulders were slumped and he was jittery, edgy; he knew he’d been caught and he wasn’t handling it well.

“I’ll be honest with you, I’m not in the best of moods today,” Shepard said, eyeing the man’s budding paunch with distaste. _Who in their right mind would leave Kaidan for this idiot?_ he thought randomly, then forced himself back on task. “So I’m going to save us both some time and effort and cut right to the chase. Why did you set up the shell company Alliance Exports – was it your idea or were you threatened, persuaded or coerced by anyone?”

“What? I didn’t…I’ve never heard of…that’s nothing to do with me!” Reynolds said, but there was sweat on his brow and he couldn’t meet Shepard’s eye.

“Look, Mr Reynolds, I don’t have the time or patience to stand here and listen to you bluster and prevaricate and then eventually tell me what I want to know anyway,” Shepard said sternly. “How’s about we just skip to the end and you answer my questions so I can tell the judge you cooperated when you come to trial.”

“I’m not saying anything without my attorney present,” Reynolds said, trying to look confident but falling far short.

“That’s your right,” Shepard shrugged, his relaxed posture a deliberate contrast to Reynolds’ taut tension. “But we’ll find out eventually, and it’ll be worse for you if you’ve been obstructive.”

Reynolds watched the police team taking his office apart for a while, then looked at Shepard grimly. “You’re all the same,” he said bitterly. “Just because you have a badge and a gun, you think you can bully people into doing whatever you want them to.”

“Detective?” said the officer sitting at Reynolds’ desk. “I think I may have found something.”

Shepard’s smile was cold and sharp. “Hear that? Looks like this is your last chance to tell me everything before we figure it out without you and your sentence gets a whole lot harsher.”

Reynolds looked torn and vaguely nauseous, but he nodded tightly. “Alright. But I want immunity.”

Shepard laughed. “Immunity? After what you’ve done?”

“But you said - ”

“A reduced sentence is the best you can hope for,” Shepard interrupted. “And that’s only if I’m feeling generous.”

“Well, I don’t suppose I have a choice, do I?” Reynolds asked, snippy and petulant.

Shepard’s temper flared. “You had a choice before you decided to break the law, and you made the wrong one. Now you have to deal with the fallout.”

Reynolds swallowed hard, a sickly sheen to his skin. “Alright,” he said quietly, the bluster gone. “I’ll tell you what I know.”

“Good choice,” Shepard said. “So, when you set up Alliance Exports, was it done under coercion?”

“You could say that,” Reynolds nodded. “There’s a detective who knows something about me, about…ah, some suspect transactions that I was inadvertently involved in a little while back.”

“Uh-huh,” Shepard said, letting the half-truth slide.

“He told me that if I didn’t help him, he’d turn over the evidence to the federal prosecutor,” Reynolds said, adjusting his perfectly knotted tie. “I really didn’t have any choice, Detective, my career would have been ruined.”

“Whereas now it’s looking just peachy,” Shepard said sarcastically. “Had you met this detective before?”

“Yes, about a year ago at…a crime scene,” Reynolds said, suddenly fascinated by the view out of the windows.

“That would be the incident at the home of your married lover, now your wife?” Shepard asked.

Reynolds’ eyes widened almost comically. “How did you…?”

“I’m assuming this detective you’re talking about is Mike Vyrnnus?” Shepard pressed on, crossing his arms.

“Yes,” Reynolds nodded, swallowing hard.

“Did you ever have contact with anyone else about this?” Shepard asked. “Another cop, maybe?”

“No, I just spoke to Vyrnnus,” Reynolds said.

“Did you ever hear the name Jim Saren mentioned?”

Reynolds frowned, thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”

Shepard swore internally, but kept his face neutral. He needed to tie Saren into this too; he hoped that Kaidan was having more luck with the waitress he’d gone to interview.

To Reynolds he said, “Did Vyrnnus tell you why he wanted the dummy corporation set up?”

“Just that he had a grudge to settle with another cop,” Reynolds said, looking even more shifty.

“So you knew going into this that it involved fraud and perverting the course of justice,” Shepard said thoughtfully, nodding as though making a mental note. “Interesting. You see, I think Vyrnnus approached you for this job because he knows how much you hate Kaidan Alenko.”

At the mention of Kaidan’s name, a coldness came into Reynolds’ eyes. “It’s not a secret that there’s bad blood between Alenko and I, but to suggest that I would let that motivate me to act in an illegal and unprofessional way is, frankly, insulting. I did what I did to keep myself out of prison, that’s all.”

“Very good,” Shepard said with a wide smile. “Keep practising that righteous indignation, it’ll come in very handy on the witness stand.” The smile dropped suddenly and he took a step closer, crowding Reynolds. “But the truth is that a dirty cop came to you for help with a scheme to frame an innocent man for murder and fraud, and instead of reporting him you went along with it. I bet Vyrnnus offered you money, right? And guys like you always want more money, no matter how much you’ve got already.”

“Wait, murder?” Reynolds said, going even paler under his tan. “I didn’t know anything about that, Vyrnnus just wanted me to create an account to set up Alenko and -”

“But the real reason you did it is because you hate Alenko even more than you love money,” Shepard said, cutting him off, harsh and cold. “You hate him because he’s a better man than you, because your wife is still in love with him.”

Reynolds’s face went suddenly from pale and waxy to a deep, ugly red. “How dare you say that to me! You know nothing about me or my wife.”

“I know as much as I need to,” Shepard said coldly.

When his cell phone rang yet again, Shepard decided to answer it this time as a way to get out of the conversation with Reynolds before he said anything unprofessional. “Detective Shepard.”

“Shepard, it’s Anderson. Detective Alenko just called about an anonymous tip off placing Jim Saren at the empty Barnes & Noble on Palaven Avenue.”

“He’s there now?” Shepard asked, his pulse kicking up.

“Yes. Alenko is en route but under instruction only to observe in case Saren leaves before you can get there.”

Shepard knew Kaidan wouldn’t be content to just sit and watch, and he began striding to the door while he talked. “I’m on my way now.”

“Call me when you know something,” Anderson said.

Shepard jogged to his car, a feeling of unease crawling into his guts. Something told him that Kaidan could be in more trouble than he realised.

* * *

 Kaidan sneaked around the back of the empty Barnes & Noble, his car parked further down the alleyway out of sight. The back door to the store was covered in fly posters for local raves, bands he’d never heard of, lost pets, and when he pushed it gently he found it was unlocked. His pulse was hammering as he cautiously opened the door a few inches, thankful that the hinges didn’t squeal. He kept low, peering into the darkened interior and waiting for a full minute before slipping inside and shutting out the daylight.

He was in a storage area lined with bare dust-covered shelves but otherwise empty. There was a door to his left which was shut, but to his right the door to the main shop floor was ajar, casting a weak slice of light onto the dirty floor. Kaidan could see a shadow moving back and forth, and crept closer until he could see through the gap in the door.

The storefront was lined with empty bookshelves, the cash register still sitting on the desk at the back of the room, and a few packing crates were stacked here and there.  Motes of dust danced in the hazy light from the paper-covered windows, the occasional burst of bright sunlight spearing the gloom through a rip in the paper.  The atmosphere was tense and desolate, somehow, and Kaidan shivered involuntarily.

A bare-footed woman was sitting on a chair in the middle of the empty room, hands bound behind her back and a black bag fitted over her head. He couldn’t be certain, but he was pretty sure it was Aria T’Loak. Finch was pacing in front of her chair; he had a gun in his hand but showed no sign of having noticed Kaidan’s presence.

Kaidan leaned back from the doorway, his mind racing as he formed and then rejected a dozen different scenarios on how to proceed. He knew he should go back outside, wait for back-up, but it felt wrong to walk away from a bound, defenceless prisoner even if she was a known criminal. He heard a soft footstep behind him a second before the click of a gun being cocked.

“Go on in, Alenko,” said Vyrnnus’s smug, cigarette-rough voice behind him as the sharp edge of a gun barrel nudged the back of his skull. “And get your hands up where I can see ‘em.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duhhhhhn! Don't hate me...
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for reading, and if you've left kudos or comments then here's a big smooch for you :*


	15. Discovered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because it's Friday, and because some of you have asked so nicely, here's the next chapter a week early :D 
> 
> Thank you again for every single comment and all the kudos - you're the best readers a girl could ask for.

Kaidan raised his hands and walked through to the front of the store, his heart thudding painfully in his chest and a sick feeling rolling through his stomach. Vyrnnus shoved him as he walked and Kaidan stumbled, but when he whipped around in anger he found the gun inches from his forehead.

“Not so tough now, huh?” Vyrnnus sneered, turning Kaidan roughly and pinning both hands in the small of his back.

“What do you think you’re going to achieve here, Vyrnnus?” Kaidan asked as Vyrnnus wrenched his wrists into a pair of handcuffs. “Shepard and Anderson are on their way, they know about you and Saren and Reynolds and all the rest of it.”

Vyrnnus frowned. “Bullshit.”

“Not bullshit,” Kaidan insisted. “How d’you think I knew you were here?”

At that, Vyrnnus broke out into a cruel grin. “You got a tip-off, right? From that hot little waitress you went to see?”

Kaidan held in a gasp, ice settling in his chest. “How did…”

“That was us, dipshit,” Vyrnnus smirked. “You only know what we want you to know, and now you’re right where we wanted you. See, your problem is that you think you’re so much fuckin’ smarter than everyone that you forget that we’re not all as dumb as you think we are.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Kaidan retorted, and Vyrnnus drew back his arm and struck him hard across the face with the butt of his handgun.

A deep, intense agony blossomed across the bridge of Kaidan’s nose and his ears rang with the impact. He staggered back a step as blood ran thick and coppery into his mouth, his head swimming. Vyrnnus shoved him to the ground, levelling the gun at his head once more.

“What the fuck are you doing, man?” Finch asked, jittery.

“Relax, we’ll just tell ‘em it was self-defence,” Vyrnnus said, watching with satisfaction as Kaidan tried to breathe through the flow of blood from his nose. “The faggot won’t exactly be in any shape to argue with our story, right?”

“Whatever,” Finch said, his nervousness clear in his posture, his pacing. “Let’s just get this over with.” He walked over and took Kaidan’s gun from its holster, checking if it was loaded before tucking his own gun away. Then he went back to the chair and yanked the black bag up and off.

Aria blinked in the sudden wash of light; an angry bruise circled one eye, a trickle of dried blood snaked down from her nose and her jaw was stretched open by a gag in her mouth. When she saw Finch, the fury in her eyes was clear even from where Kaidan sat. She struggled against her bonds, whatever angry response she tried to make muffled and indistinct.

“Hey, Miss T’Loak,” said Finch; he crouched beside her but didn’t remove the gag. Aria flinched away as he traced his fingers along her jaw; she couldn’t speak, but the rage in her glare gave him the message anyway. Finch’s expression hardened. “I come here to save you and you _still_ look at me like I’m garbage?” he said. “What does a guy have to do to make time with you, huh?”

Aria looked away from him, pointedly dismissive even if she couldn’t do anything more to assert herself.

“You cold bitch,” Finch said, raising Kaidan’s gun to her face. “You don’t fuckin’ deserve to be saved. You shoulda given me more credit while you had the chance, you never saw how good I am at all the shit I do for you.”

Kaidan watched, helpless, realising with a jolt that they were planning to kill Aria with his gun; that they’d lured him here to make sure that he took the fall for their crimes.

“Penny dropping, is it?” Vyrnnus asked him, his eyes going wide in mock-surprise. “Imagine my horror when I arrived to find you here with Aria all tied up and vulnerable, and Finch about to deliver you the ransom money. I tried to stop you, but you shot her before I could do anything. Then when you turned the gun on me, I had no choice but to shoot you in self-defence.”

“I saw the whole thing,” Finch agreed, “just like he said.”

“You really think anyone’s going to buy this?” Kaidan asked, scrabbling for the right words as panic coiled and nausea rose up. He spat blood onto the ground, thick and viscous, trying to ignore the shards of agony lancing through his skull. “Shepard knows about Reynolds, about the dummy account.”

“That proves _your_ guilt, not mine,” Vyrnnus shrugged.

“Why would I be working with Reynolds?” Kaidan asked. “We can’t stand each other, everyone knows that.”

“Sounds like the perfect cover to me,” Vyrnnus sniffed. “Any other lame attempts to stop me from splattering your brains all over this place?”

“Where’s Saren?” Kaidan asked, clutching at his last straw. “Left you here to do the dirty work alone, did he?”

“He’s just taken the money out to the car, wise ass,” Vyrnnus retorted.

“Oh yeah? Been gone a while though, right?”

“Fuck off, Alenko,” Vyrnnus scoffed, but there was something uneasy in his manner. “That divide and conquer bullshit won’t work with me.”

“Can we just get on with this, man?” Finch asked, irritable and edgy.

“Sure,” Vyrnnus nodded, like it was all no big deal. “Go ahead.”

Kaidan and Aria locked eyes for a second, mirroring each other’s rage and helplessness.

Finch pressed the gun to Aria’s forehead. “Any last words?” he asked, smiling coldly. “No? Then I guess this is goodbye.”

* * *

 

Shepard led the team of armed cops in through the back door of the bookstore, noting the scuffed footsteps on the dusty floor.  The door to his right was ajar and he could hear voices.  Gesturing to the other cops, he counted down silently from three before bursting into the room. 

“Police, everybody freeze!” Shepard shouted, his gun swinging smoothly in an arc to cover the room as the other cops rushed in around him.  The first thing he saw was Aria tied to a chair, a shocked-looking Finch holding a gun to her head.  Finch dropped his gun right before Anderson grabbed his wrists none too gently and clapped a pair of cuffs over them.  

Shepard’s gaze swept the room until he found Kaidan sitting on the bare floor, clearly in bad shape.  His heart clenched at the blood on Kaidan’s face and shirt, the scarlet spatters on the floor, and a wave of rage took him by surprise.  

Vyrnnus was standing behind Kaidan, a gun an inch from his thick dark curls.  He looked shocked, furious, and the muscles in his gun arm tensed. 

“Drop it! Now!” Shepard barked, walking towards Vyrnnus and aiming at his face.  “You can’t get out of this one and shooting Alenko will only make it worse for you.”

As Vyrnnus wavered, his focus on Shepard, Kaidan surged suddenly upwards, throwing himself at Vyrnnus and bowling him over.  As they fell the gun went off, and Kaidan yelled in agony. 

Shepard’s heart constricted, panic making his limbs tremble.  “Kaidan!” he yelled, forgetting everyone around him. 

But then Kaidan was moving, trying to pin Vyrnnus despite his hands being cuffed behind him, and Shepard realised the shot had gone wide.  He ran over as Kaidan headbutted Vyrnnus across the bridge of his nose; both men shouted with the pain of it, and Vyrnnus finally dropped his gun.

Shepard kicked the gun away and holstered his own, yanking Vyrnnus roughly to his feet and handcuffing him.  He glanced down at Kaidan; his head was bowed and as Shepard watched, a gob of blood dripped from his chin onto his jeans.  “Kaidan, are you okay?” he asked, cursing himself for the inanity of the question.

Kaidan looked up and smiled weakly; the blood on his face and his teeth made it almost grotesque but his warm brown eyes sparkled with a fierce satisfaction.  “Yeah,” he said.  “It’s worse than it looks.”

“That’d be tricky,” Shepard said, one eyebrow rising.  He searched Vyrnnus until he found the key to Kaidan's cuffs then gestured to one of the other officers to take him away. He crouched beside Kaidan and unfastened his restraints.  “I’d ask why the hell you were in here in the first place, but I don’t think this is the time to get into it.” 

“And I’ll bet you already know the answer anyway,” Kaidan said, rubbing his chafed wrists. 

“Yeah – ‘cos you’re a stubborn bastard,” Shepard said, and smiled. 

“Takes one to know one,” Kaidan said, but when he tried to smile it turned into a wince. 

“I’ll call the paramedics,” Shepard said, helping Kaidan to his feet. 

“Could you just drive me to the hospital instead?” Kaidan asked, leaning on Shepard’s arm for support.  “I don’t want a lot of fuss.” 

Shepard smiled again on a wave of affection.  “Sure.  But try not to get too much blood on my upholstery, okay?” 

“No promises,” Kaidan groaned. 

Outside, they passed Vyrnnus being led by a uniformed cop led to a patrol car. Shepard asked the uniform, “Any sign of Saren?” 

“No, not yet,” she replied. 

Shepard caught Vyrnnus’s eye.  “Hear that, Vyrnnus?  Your buddy’s left you behind.” 

“I’m sayin’ nothin’,” Vyrnnus said, simmering with anger. 

“Just how Saren wants it,” Shepard said. 

He'd clearly struck a nerve with Vyrnnus, who clenched his jaw and looked away.  As he did, his shirt collar flexed to reveal a puffy red scratch on his throat.

“That’s a nasty scrape,” Shepard said.

“Occupational hazard,” Vyrnnus said flatly. 

“That reminds me - this yours?” Shepard asked, taking the silver chain Kaidan had found out of his pocket.

“Where’d you find that?” Vyrnnus frowned.

“In the apartment where Agent Williams was killed,” Shepard said.  “She pulled it off you when you murdered her.” 

Vyrnnus laughed, cold and unmoved.  “You can’t prove that.” 

“Like hell,” Shepard said, nodding to the uniform who then led Vyrnnus away.  To Kaidan he said, “I really, _really_ want to punch that smug son of a bitch.” 

“Yeah. He’s right though,” Kaidan said.  “We can’t prove he had anything to do with the murder.” 

“I don’t think he did,” Shepard said.  “I’m pretty sure that was Saren, and I bet if I play the right angle in the interrogation I can get him to believe that his partner in crime is setting him up to take the fall.” 

“You might be right,” Kaidan said.  “It does seem like an uneasy alliance, and when I mentioned Saren back there it definitely made him nervous.”

He looked over at Kaidan with a smile.  “Shoulda known you’d pick up on that; you have good instincts.”

“Not always,” Kaidan said, glancing up at him.  “Sometimes it takes me a while to catch on to things, even when they’re right in front of my face.”

Shepard suppressed the urge to kiss him, and instead pointedly studied the blood and bruises on Kaidan’s skin.  “Speaking of faces, you really need to get yours looked at.”

“Seems like you’re doing plenty of looking,” Kaidan said, grinning weakly.

“Detective Alenko, are you flirting with me?” Shepard asked, lowering his voice.

“Well, if you have to ask…” Kaidan said. 

“We’ll talk about this later,” Shepard said meaningfully, unlocking his car, “like maybe when we know whether or not you have a concussion.”

Kaidan got into the car, and Shepard started off for the hospital.  It felt good having Kaidan sitting beside him, battered but alive; his reaction to Kaidan’s injuries confirmed his steadily growing feelings for the man, and apparently they were returned.  Heat coiled in his belly at the thought of it, but he reluctantly pushed those thoughts aside.  Saren was still out there, and seemed to have done a pretty good job at distancing himself from any wrongdoing.

But there was an idea forming in the back of his mind, and if he played it well he might just have the ammunition to crack both Saren and Vyrnnus.

* * *

 

Saren glanced around the deserted parking garage while he lounged against the hood of his car, arms folded, irritation rising.  There were only half a dozen other cars around and he’d picked this place because he knew the security cameras didn’t work, but he still felt edgy about being there.  It only took one witness to blow the whole thing out of the water, and he was damned if he was going to let Vyrnnus wiggle out of being his scapegoat.

He heard footsteps and stood, hand twitching towards his gun.  When he saw that it was Vyrnnus approaching he relaxed, but only a fraction.

“Hey, man – got the money?” Vyrnnus asked, stopping a few paces away.

“I’m doing fine, thanks for asking,” Saren said dryly.  He opened his passenger side door and took out a holdall stuffed with hundred dollar bills.  When Vyrnnus stepped forward to take it, Saren dropped the bag and grabbed Vyrnnus’s arm.  Twisting around, he shoved Vyrnnus against the car and began patting him down.

“What the fuck?” Vyrnnus said angrily.  “After everything, you still don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust anyone,” Saren said.  “And I find it hard to believe they’d just let you out on bail.”

“I still got a few strings I can pull,” Vyrnnus said.

Saren stepped back.  “If you say so.” 

“Happy now?” Vyrnnus asked, turning and irritably adjusting his jacket.  “I’m not wired, I swear.  All I want is the money so I can get the hell out of here.”

“Where are you going to go?” Saren asked.

“Why, you gonna miss me?” Vyrnnus retorted. 

“Hardly,” Saren laughed. 

Vyrnnus sniffed.  “Maybe you should think about leaving too.  If T’Loak finds out you were behind the whole scheme, you know she’ll come after you.  Plus who knows what Finch might tell Anderson about you and Williams.”

“Finch won’t tell Anderson anything, he’s too scared of the repercussions if he crosses me,” Saren said arrogantly.  “And T’Loak won’t touch me even if she does find out; she needs a cop in her pocket and it may just as well be me as you.”

“You’ve got this all figured out, don't you?” Vyrnnus said, anger building.

“With you skipping town, I can hold my hands up and look innocent and blame the whole thing on you,” Saren grinned.  “So long as you keep your head down, we’re both in the clear.”

“Thanks for confessing, Saren,” said a voice from the shadows, and Kaidan Alenko appeared from behind a pillar.  He pointed a gun unwaveringly at Saren, who felt a spike of anxiety.  “You just saved me a whole lot of paperwork.”

“Hey, Alenko - you look like shit,” Saren said, taking in Alenko’s black eye and bandaged nose.  “How’d you know we were here?”

“I followed Vyrnnus,” Alenko said; he looked less composed than usual, jittery and angry.  “I couldn’t believe it when they just let him walk out of there like that.” 

Seeing Alenko’s distraction, Vyrnnus pulled out a gun and pointed it at him.  “You never could keep your fuckin’ nose out, could you, Boy Scout?”

“Hey, take it easy,” Saren said, his unease swelling and growing.  But Vyrnnus ignored him, firing twice at almost point blank range. 

A look of surprise crossed Alenko’s face before he fell hard, his gun dropping from his limp hand.

Fear and rage and panic swirled through Saren’s chest.  “What the _fuck_?”  Are you _crazy_?” he yelled.

“Come on, man, he was like Williams – he knew too much,” Vyrnnus argued.

“That was totally different, you fucking idiot,” Saren spat.  “Williams didn’t know shit, I only killed her to set up Alenko and settle a score.  Now take your money and get the hell out of my life.”

“Hold it right there, Saren,” said a familiar voice, and he turned to see Detective Shepard and two uniformed cops approaching.  “You’re not going anywhere.”

* * *

 


	16. Alone At Last

Shepard ignored Kaidan’s crumpled body and the sharp pain it caused in his chest even though he knew better, and focussed on Saren. The cop was tensed, ready to run; still, it caught Shepard by surprise when he suddenly threw the holdall at him and bolted.

Saren ran past Kaidan, who surged upwards in a sudden sharp motion . Throwing Saren to the ground Kaidan straddled him, blocking a punch and landing one on Saren before hauling him upright for Shepard to handcuff.

“You look good for a dead man,” Shepard said to Kaidan with a grin as he clicked the cuffs closed behind Saren’s back.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Saren asked, glaring at Kaidan. “He shot you point blank!” His brows drew down in a frown, then he looked at Vyrnnus with such venom it was almost tangible. “You bastard – you set me up!”

“Nice detective work, genius,” Vyrnnus said, cold satisfaction in his voice. “You might think I’m an idiot but apparently I’m smarter than you.”

“He turned himself in, helped set this all up and shot me with blanks,” Kaidan said, his smile incongruously cold as he pulled aside his jacket to reveal a wire.

“You’ll regret this, Alenko,” Saren said, almost a growl, as he struggled in impotent rage against Shepard’s hold.

“Said every criminal I ever arrested,” Kaidan replied casually. “Haven’t regretted it yet.”

Shepard said, “James Saren, it’s my absolute pleasure to place you under arrest for the murder of Agent Ashley Williams, the kidnapping of Aria T’Loak, conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. You do not have to - ”

“Save it, I know my rights,” Saren said bitterly. “And I’m not sorry. Sanctimonious bitch had it coming.”

“Charming as ever, Saren,” Shepard said, handing him over to one of the other officers. Then he turned to Kaidan, who was standing watching with his arms folded and a grim satisfaction on his face. “So that’s it; it’s finally all over.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Kaidan said, glancing sideways at Shepard. “I’d say you and I still have some unfinished business.”  
*

Kaidan was almost buzzing with anticipation by the time they made it home to Shepard’s apartment. There’d been a traffic jam on the freeway and the storm that had been brewing all day finally broke into dense curtains of rain, the poor visibility forcing Shepard to drive slower than usual. When they finally arrived at the apartment door Kaidan walked in ahead of Shepard, taking deep breaths to control the nervous energy coiling through his body. He heard Shepard close and lock the door and turned to say something, anything, his nerves manifesting in the urge to talk and break the tense, excited mood. But before he could speak, Shepard closed the distance in two strides and raised a hand to cradle the back of Kaidan’s head as he leaned in to kiss him.

Kaidan’s brain short-circuited at the feel of Shepard’s full lips finally pressing against his own. It all felt unreal; they’d been building to this for what seemed like forever and he was having trouble grasping that it was actually happening. But then Shepard’s stubble rasped against his skin and Kaidan caught the scent of his aftershave, earthy and familiar, and suddenly he was right there, in the moment, parting his lips and kissing Shepard with everything he had.

Shepard was being gentle, mindful of Kaidan’s taped nose and bruised cheekbone. But Kaidan didn’t want Shepard to be gentle; he’d take a little pain if it meant more of Shepard. Grasping Shepard’s neck, he tilted his head to deepen the kiss while his other hand twisted in Shepard’s shirt and pulled him closer. Shepard’s moan of pleasure and surprise hit Kaidan with a jolt and his hips jerked forward reflexively. 

“Fuck,” Shepard breathed into his mouth, pushing at Kaidan’s jacket until it fell back off his shoulders. When Kaidan let the jacket drop and kicked off his shoes, Shepard did the same. Then he stepped forward again to hold Kaidan’s jaw lightly and turned him so his back came up against the wall, the length of Shepard’s body pressing him into it. “I finally get to put my hands on you,” he murmured against Kaidan’s neck, kissing and nuzzling behind his ear.

“Mmm,” Kaidan hummed, words abandoning him. He let his body speak for him, stretching his neck for Shepard and holding on around his ribs. Shepard’s hands settled on Kaidan’s hips, pinning him gently but firmly, and Kaidan had to close his eyes against the rush of heat and sensation.

Shepard unbuttoned Kaidan’s shirt slowly, lips and tongue still moving along his throat, over his collarbone, across his shoulder. His hands explored the bared skin, reaching behind to grasp Kaidan’s ass firmly. Their groins were pulled into even tighter contact, their swelling cocks pressing together through their clothes; Kaidan was beginning to feel high on sensation. He grasped the hem of Shepard’s sweater and yanked it upwards, catching it on his chin and then his elbows. Shepard laughed and Kaidan grinned, but before the sweater had touched the ground they were kissing again.

Shepard’s fingers trailed down Kaidan’s chest, skimming along the path of dark hair. He palmed Kaidan through his pants, pulling a stuttered gasp from his throat, rubbing the length of him under the thick fabric.

“You’ve been through so much, Kaidan,” Shepard said, pressing open-mouthed kisses across his chest. “I want to help you forget it. I want to make you feel good.” He licked one nipple, his fingers circling the other, and Kaidan let his head drop back against the wall. “I want to find every part of your body that makes you tremble, every way to make you moan.”

“I want that, too,” Kaidan said, raspy with want and need.

Shepard’s lips and teeth grazed down Kaidan’s body until he was on his knees. He looked up at Kaidan, tracing gentle fingertips over the growing bulge in the front of his pants. Kaidan’s breath was coming in short bursts, his chest full and tight with breathlessness and anticipation. The vision of Shepard pushing his face against Kaidan’s clothed erection caused a jolt of electricity through his whole body and he reached out to touch those sharp cheekbones.

Shepard grinned and deftly unfastened Kaidan’s belt and pants, pushing his clothing aside just enough to take his stiff cock in one hand. The other hand rested on Kaidan’s thigh as Shepard leaned in to nuzzle Kaidan’s balls. He moved along the rigid length, kissing and licking, before taking the head into his mouth, his eyes locked on Kaidan’s the whole time.

Shepard kept an even pressure as he slid down Kaidan’s cock, his lips creating a delicious suction as his tongue swirled around the shaft. Kaidan rubbed his palm over Shepard’s scalp, torn between wanting to look away and wanting to never look away. The sight before him, the noises Shepard’s mouth was making, were already threatening to overcome his self-control.

Kaidan got lost in the haze of heat and sensation as Shepard blew him, jerking his dick with one hand while the other pressed Kaidan’s hips to the wall. Pleasure lapped over him, every nerve ending sparking, every inch of him aware of Shepard. When Shepard drew back to tongue his slit, Kaidan gasped out, “Stop, fuck, wait.”

Shepard sat back a little, looking up expectantly. “Everything okay?”

“Okay?” Kaidan repeated, laughing, breathless and giddy. “Fuck, Shepard, I don’t see how it could be better.”

Shepard’s smile was warm and soft, and it burrowed deep into Kaidan’s chest. He stood and pulled Kaidan into an embrace, arms strong and solid around him. “I know I’m pushing pretty hard here,” he said against Kaidan’s shoulder, “but I’ve never been very patient when it comes to things I want. And I don’t remember the last time I wanted anything as much as this.” He pulled back just a little, meeting Kaidan’s eyes. “But if this is too much, or too fast, or you’re in too much pain - ”

“No,” Kaidan interrupted. “No, it’s not. I want this too. It’s just been a while and I don’t want to embarrass myself.”

Shepard laughed. “Come with me,” he said, taking Kaidan’s hand and leading him into the bedroom. He turned on a lamp by the bed, bathing the room in a cosy, intimate glow, and began to undress. Kaidan followed his lead, and when they were naked Shepard lay on the bed and nodded for Kaidan to join him.

They turned on their sides to face each other and Shepard leaned in to kiss Kaidan, soft and sweet, his hand siding into Kaidan’s hair. They stayed like that for a long time, kissing and touching and gasping and sighing, touching each other’s bodies and breathing each other’s breaths, writhing gently against each other in an agony of pleasure.

After forever, Shepard rolled Kaidan onto his back and settled between his thighs. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat, their chests heaving, cocks rubbing and dripping. Shepard kissed Kaidan but he deepened it straight away, demanding and possessive, forcing Kaidan to respond. One hand braced his weight above Kaidan and the other wound its way between their bodies, pulling their cocks together in a loose grip and beginning to stroke.

Kaidan’s breath caught and he held onto Shepard’s face, fingers curling around his neck as his thumb pressed against the corner of his jaw. The other hand ran up and down Shepard’s back, over the smooth skin and firm muscle, clutching his ass and squeezing hard. Shepard shuddered and groaned, and Kaidan pressed his fingers down along the valley of Shepard’s buttocks. They slid easily over the sweat-damp skin and Kaidan let his fingertip catch on Shepard’s puckered hole, pressing gently. 

Shepard raised his head, eyes squeezed shut as a moan of pure need ripped out of him. His hips began to move, fucking forward into the circle of his palm and back against Kaidan’s probing finger, until he came with a shout in quick, urgent pulses over Kaidan’s body. He let his head drop onto Kaidan’s shoulder, his heartbeat hammering between them, and Kaidan moved his arms to wrap around Shepard’s body.

“You’re too much, Alenko,” Shepard murmured, kissing his shoulder softly. “I think I need to finish what I started…”

Kaidan hummed happily as Shepard moved down the bed, wasting no time in taking Kaidan’s aching cock into his mouth. Kaidan closed his eyes and let himself feel it all; the wet slide of Shepard’s tongue, the heat and suction of his mouth, the fingers gripping his thighs so tightly it was almost painful. He stopped trying to hold back, letting his hips move gently in time with Shepard’s movements, until his orgasm crested and broke in a blissful, helpless, numbing wave of elation.

Shepard moved back to lay down beside Kaidan, reaching up to brush a damp curl from his brow. “Worth the wait?” he asked smugly.

Kaidan laughed; he hadn’t felt so relaxed, so light, for a long time. “I guess,” he said with a shrug.

“That attempt at being casual might be more convincing if you hadn’t lost control of your limbs,” Shepard said, kissing Kaidan’s temple.

“I could move if I wanted to,” Kaidan said with a playful smile. “I just don’t want to.”

Shepard laughed again, and Kaidan spent the time it took him to go to the bathroom and come back with damp cloths reflecting on how much he’d like to hear that laugh every day.

They cleaned up and curled together under Shepard’s thick comforter, listening to the rain drumming wildly on the window. Shepard fell asleep quickly, his arms a loose cage around Kaidan, but Kaidan lay awake for a long time. He felt like he’d stepped out of time, like the whole world had fallen away and left just the two of them behind; it was heady and peaceful and comfortable, and he wanted to enjoy it for as long as he could.

When he finally fell asleep, all his dreams were of Shepard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally made it! Thanks for sticking with me, hope the pay-off was worth it.


End file.
